When I was working (some 45+ years) my husband always had flowers or other things delivered to me at work on any day OTHER than a special day. He really didn’t like to be ‘forced’ to do something just because it was Valentine’s Day, for example. He always did ‘just because’ days. I still like that attitude. But I do like special days, too. :0) I hope YOUR Valentine’s Day is a special one.
I carry my dad with me everywhere. He’s always with me.
He wasn’t one to say much. He was embarrassed by displays of emotion. He gave me the gift of humor. He used it himself to ward off the bullies at school who tried to make fun of him because one of his arms was shorter than the other and his hand was mangled and pretty much useless from a fall from a horse when he was three. People can’t laugh and bully at the same time.
He taught me to strive for your dreams, taking chances. He brought his wife and two kids from Long Island NY to Tulsa, Oklahoma in order to take a job in advertising in a small company. He not only did well in that job, but built his own independent advertising agency, eventually winning a lifetime achievement award from the American Advertising Federation for his unique contribution to Tulsa radio advertising. He went from barely scraping to never having to make a cold call to a client the rest of his life. His ads are still played on the radio from time to time in commemoration.
He taught me to think creatively as I watched him come up with new ideas to sell products, then cut his own ads on his tape recorder in our home, then sell them to the client. Even though he only had one hand that worked properly, I have 5 oil paintings from him – three landscapes of trees, and ‘personality’ portraits of my brother and me, where he captured us as children. I also have two small wooden ‘dogs’ he carved, plus an ‘engagement ring’ he carved for my mom.
He taught me a love of learning by sitting in his chair on the weekends, pouring over big books on geology and archeology. He would have loved to go on digs, unearthing bits of ancient history, and tried to explain to me what the different layers of rocks meant.
When he went with me to school when I was getting my Master’s Degree and asked him to be my “celebrity’ guest speaker on a lesson on listening intelligently to advertising, he made me cry when at the end of the presentation, he told the class how proud he was to be my dad.
I am so lucky to have countless memories of both of my parents, to know that they loved my brother and me, sacrificed for us, and wanted the best for us. I wish everyone had both parents – or failing that – people who loved them and taught them what was important in life.
Filed under holidays
“To me old age is always fifteen years older than I am!” — Bernard Baruch
To be honest, I’m delighted to BE here, still able to annoy or entertain a bit without a lot of drama. My husband is sleeping in this morning. Our son is happy and doing well. Our animals are happy and healthy. Things are good in our own little world.
In the ‘I ain’t dead yet’ category, I’m enjoying ‘birthday greetings’ from my newest lust, Alan Ritchson, a luscious actor who plays the Reacher character on TV (Amazon Prime Video) from Lee Child’s (one of our favorite authors) books. We watched Season 1 the other day and are actively anticipating Season 2.
No huge festivities are planned for the day. My husband asked last night, “Hey. Do you want to go out or something?” (I swooned at the romance of it :0) ) A happy day is perfectly sufficient to my needs, so I’ll let him off the hook. Besides, he gets to all the birthdays first, so they don’t sting as much when I reach them – a thing I’ll always cherish.
It is lovely to meet an old person whose face is deeply lined, a face that has been deeply inhabited, to look in the eyes and find light there.”
— John O-Donohue
“As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning.”
— Criss Jami
Wisdom is the reward for surviving our own stupidity.”
— Brian Rathbone
“I’ve enjoyed every age I’ve been and each has had its own individual merit. Every laugh line, every scar, is a badge I wear to show I’ve been present, the inner rings of my personal tree trunk that I display proudly for all to see. Nowadays, I don’t want a “perfect” face and body; I want to wear the life I’ve lived.”
— Pat Benatar
“When I grow up I want to be an old woman.”
— Michelle Shocked
‘Happy as a clam’ birthday to me!
Filed under aging, Attitude, Cause for Celebration
I have had a really nice celebration this year. My husband was raised not making a big deal of birthdays, so he doesn’t do much on anyone’s birthday, his own included. He simply doesn’t think of it. My friends and relatives make up for him, though, making me feel VERY special. I have received cards and texts, phone calls, and TWO Lunch Bunch Fridays where two weeks ago, the waitresses/friends at the Pizza Barn got me some really nice foaming soap and a tall, heavy candle that smells like Cranberry-Mandarin. Heavenly!
My birthday fell exactly between two Fridays this year, so that always complicates things on when we celebrate. Yesterday my Lunch Bunch friends gave me a special birthday lunch. I got some really luxurious hand cream (the foaming soap and the really nice hand cream are wonderful for chapped hands from all the hand washing we do now), and then a gorgeous plant (Mime Rose) with a solar-powered glass hummingbird to put in the pot.
I set things up, putting the flowering plant with hummingbird in the window. Last night when we were taking Amber out for her last outing of the day, I noticed the hummingbird was glowing, changing colors, and reflecting in the window! I’ve taken some pictures this morning, and I’ll try to get some tonight when the hummingbird is changing colors.
You have to look carefully to see the hummingbird up high above the mime roses.
You can see the hummingbird high above the plant in this picture a bit more easily.
Here’s a close up of the glass hummingbird. At night, it turns different colors, simply glowing and reflecting in the glass of the window. It’s stunningly beautiful. Hats off to the people who created this.
I just called my Lunch Bunch friend, thanking her again for such a wonderful gift. I love the mime roses, and I love the hummingbird. I’m a lucky lady. I’ll try to get pics tonight and share them with you tomorrow. :0)
Filed under Friendship, Gardening
I told you yesterday that I ate my way through a session of being up in the middle of the night, not able to sleep. I looked just like this cute little guy – except I wasn’t eating carrots.
Today we’re celebrating my husband’s birthday, so all bets are off on our diet again.
TOMORROW we will be good little soldiers again – at least “I” will be. My husband will still be enjoying his pineapple upside down cake, I hope, since it has been a year since I baked one for him.
I think – at least I HOPE – that if I eat the way I’m ‘supposed’ to at least 98% of the time, I will reach my lard loss goals eventually…
Filed under .gifs I Love, DIET!
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