This old gal…

Was drawn to a wall hanging at Goodwill…initially because of the cute little cat…but then…the words…hit home…blessed are we…who can laugh at ourselves…for we shall never cease…to be amused…

Wanted to shout…YES…this right here…those daughters of mine…their mama…all those years together…the foundation…our foundation…the unspoken…family motto…and no one exemplifies it more…than that middle gal of mine…Smidge…Smidge the Beast…Smidge Smidge Bo Bidge…our special…birthday girl…

Today…we celebrate her…that smile…that laughter…her ability to tackle life’s challenges with grace…finding humor amidst the struggles…laughing at herself…through stick figure Smidge…using fun to connect with youth…while preparing them…to find success…

Happy Happy Birthday…dear daughter of mine…blessed are we…who know you…laugh with you…may the joy you bring to others…be returned to you…today…and every day…
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And this husband of mine…agrees…

This old gal…

On her DC travels…started to see things…through different eyes…a man’s eyes…her man’s…eyes…walking along…started to notice the soil…in flowerbeds…around trees…near the sidewalks…was rocky…just like that…in Texas…

On campus…was in awe of the new memorial…beautifully created…with stones of granite…enormous stones of granite…just like…but so much bigger than those…in Texas…enjoyed lunch one day…in between meatloaf and pasta…at a favorite Mexican eatery…shared some queso and the shrimp fajitas…noticed the sign on the wall…just like all those…we’ve seen…in Texas…

And so it is…in life…how those around us…their thoughts…their actions…over time…can seep into the cracks…of our being…that influence…favorable…or not…depending on our choices…so choose wisely…those friendships…those relationships…surround yourself with the positive…the happy…the honorable…grow in good…and in turn…those around you…will do the same…
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And that daughter of mine…agrees…

This old gal…

Was in full relax mode…while that daughter of hers attended meetings…a few feet away at the kitchen table…read a little…wrote a little…indulged a little…on a favorite salty snack…Cheez-Its…those yummy cracker squares of fakey cheese… an all time favorite of that youngest daughter of mine…not to be confused with Cheese Nips…as those are lacking in comparison…

When the meeting adjourned…munchy me made an observation…these Cheez-Its really hit the spot…but there sure are a lot of burned ones in this package…one of us…didn’t miss a beat…popping out of the kitchen…holding the big red box…declares…that’s because…tada…these…are extra…toasty…

Extra toasty…Cheez-Its with extra toastiness…well played Cheez-It people…instead of throwing away those little non-perfect cracker squares…too brown on the edges…to get to hang with the cool OG snackers…rebrand them…make them special…convince people…they are unique…desired…make their flaws…their greatest asset…

And so should we…be a Cheez-It…an extra toasty Cheez-It…love those imperfections…know they make us special…know they make us unique…know they make us…us…
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And those daughters of mine…agree…

Selfie Loving Us…

Let that grandpup of mine run around and play a bit…in the Bishop’s Garden…near the National Cathedral…she was happy…full of energy…zippeting and doo dahing here and there…heading out…it was suggested…we get a family selfie…

Not as easy as one would think…one of us…was not having it…one of us…was a little stubborn…turned this way…snapped…turned that way…snapped…twisted…shifted…squatted…snapped…groaned a little…laughed…a lot…and then we got it…that perfect shot…the one…we wanted…

And so it is…in life…there are things…that don’t come easy…those really desired things…you gotta work for…that relationship…career aspirations…good health…self care…but when you get there…reach the top…knowing you fought for it…persevered…gave it your all…knowing you…made it happen…makes the struggle worthwhile…and the ultimate reward…that much…sweeter…
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And this daughter of mine…agrees…

That mother of mine…

Always used the phrase…so and so…doesn’t know up from down…well tourist me…lost tourist me…felt that way…the entire DC visit…never good with directions…can’t do North or South…East or West…but this was bad…real bad…embarrassingly bad…even after studying Google Maps…walking me was like one of those tops…pull the string and she just spins…

Took a stroll to the National Cathedral…those two favorite girls of mine…leading the way…the scenery beautiful…the walk relaxing…until…one of us becomes obsessed…with direction…so we are going up to the Cathedral…no…we’re going down…and the monuments are down that way…no…they are up that way…

Not to mention the bus ride to this neighborhood took us to Maryland…whereas the drive down…or over…or wherever…took us…to Virginia…it was mind boggling I tell you…mind boggling…and so it is…sometimes in life…you just don’t know…up from down…not sure…where that path…is going to lead…but traveler me…traveling these roads of life…believes…knows…there is a plan…

Have faith…keep going…love the people you meet along the way…weather the detours…learn from them…grow from them…take time to relax…and most of all…enjoy…the ride…
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And this husband of mine…agrees…

These daughters of mine…

Will forever be little girls…in the head of mama me…seems weird…to see them talking like a grown up…acting like a grown up…doing…grown up things…all those years…mama me running the show…doing things her way…it’s funny to see…grown up them…do things…in a new way…a different way…their own…coffee in the French press…way…

And so it was…the master chef watching pasta boiling…her mother…watching from the sidelines…a conversation goes like this…

Me…do you have a second saucepan…
Her…why…
Me…to warm up the pasta sauce…
Her…why…
Me…don’t you warm it up before you put it on your spaghetti…
Her…why…
Me…because…(has to think on this awhile)…that’s the way my mom always did it…

Then she demonstrates her one pan way…drain the noodles…add the sauce to the drained noodles and warm them together in the noodle pan…easy peasy lemon squeezy…

Why heat the sauce separately…never asked…never cared…but sometimes…in life…it’s important to ask…to care…cuz those questions…can bring answers…and those answers…might bring about…important change…and sometimes…that change…can be a good thing…a very good thing…indeed…
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And this daughter of mine…agrees…

​This old gal…

Got to tag along to the university…when that daughter of mine went to work…grabbed coffee and lunch at Panera…sat on a bench in the shade…she heading off to in-person meetings…have always loved…the college campus…stunning buildings…lush greenery…buzzing with energy…full of life…abounding with hope…

Watched the hustle and bustle…as youth strolled to class…embracing individuality…yet conforming…cold coffees…crop tops…the wrestling singlet one piece body suit…obviously in fashion…things…seemed to be zipping by…like those speeded up videos…where everything blurs…colors blend…there’s a cacophony of sound…

Yet in the midst…of the daily hubbub…mama me…hears it…that tinkle of laughter…followed…by another…tinkle of laughter…couldn’t see her…but knew…she was there…a firefly in the night…a fairy in a garden…a lighthouse…shining her beacon…to draw others in…this daughter of mine…

A spring in her step…a tilt to her head…greeting students…acknowledging others…fits here…belongs here…is making a difference here…fulfilling her little girl dreams…finding her place…sharing her light…what a beautiful thing…to see…
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And this daughter of mine…agrees…

This daughter and I…

And that sweet little grandpup of mine…took a little trek to the grocery store…about a mile…she said…seemed to lumbering me…it was surely uphill…both ways…walked along…chatting away…sun was bright…air was cool…Zippity Doo Dah…trotting along beside us…ears flopping in the breeze…

Hadn’t gone far…when she stops…digs in her heels…refusing to go one more step…tugged the leash a bit…coaxed…pleaded…gave her time to rest…but there was no doo…or no dah…that was going to get Zippity…to change her mind…stubborn girl…had her eye on that sling…her mama brought along to use in the store…

Getting meatloaf ingredients was a doo or dah situation…so Zippity was scooped up…cradled a bit…wrapped in that carrier…and we…were on our way…

And so it is in life…sometimes…it’s hard to go on…don’t feel like we can take…one more step…been there…so many times…and you know what…it’s ok…to reach out…and say…I need you…I need you to carry me…today…

And they will…friends…family…your higher being…a hug…a text…a Godwink…get you over that hill…so you can zippity doo dah your way back…to a…more wonderful day…
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And that grandpup of mine…totally agrees…

This daughter and I…

Settled down for our first evening together…that grandpup of mine…zippety doo-dahing around…so happy to have an old gal visitor…what would you like to do while you are here…came the question as we lounged on the couch…whatever you want…came her mama’s reply…

Had no preconceived plans…knew she had to work all week…plus prepare to travel abroad for a family wedding…didn’t come as a tourist really…but her response…wasn’t exactly expected…

I want to make meatloaf…she says…a gleam in her eye…and the next night make pasta…and break the meatloaf up into it…like mini meatballs…we can walk to the store and get groceries…take the bus to an appointment together…go to the pharmacy and Sephora for travel supplies…

We can drink coffee…snack on chips…rub feet and binge watch Ted Lasso…it’s a great show…I think you will love it…and there it was…those words of hers…pretty much describing…our first 25 together years…one could see…a sweet someone flew her mama across the country…just so we could be…us…

And so it is…sometimes…in the midst of the busy-ness of life…it’s ok to wrap yourself in meatloaf and pasta…foot rubs and Ted Lasso…find the love…with coffee and Cheetos…

Breathe deep…let go…allowing the strong arms of the comforts of home…hold you close…working their magic…to ease the worries…of a blessed…but weary…soul…
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And this daughter of mine…agrees…

This old gal…

Wanted to get a first day together…twins selfie…snapped one like this…snapped one like that…the angles not working…flat hair me…made this old head…look horribly massive…that princess of mine…sensing the grief…knows the drill…takes the reigns…and so it begins…the silly faces…the ridiculous poses…the comfortable laughter…

So many miles apart…for so long…such little time together…and just like that…those habits…fall right back into play…been doing the silly selfie…for what seems like forever…four little ladies…any serious shot…ending in hysterics…and just darn goofiness…

Could wallpaper a wall…heck an entire room…with crazy shots from days gone by…and maybe one day…it will happen…cuz these…are the precious times…together times…times with those people who let you be you…silly you…goofy you…big head mama Fred you…

Look at that wall and say…this is us…silly goofy ridiculous us…love these shots…love these ladies…love everything…every little thing…that makes us…us…
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And those daughters of mine…agree…