things not to do before flying...

1) Don't wake early to watch footage of a plane

crash of yesterday.

Why do I do this???

I already hate to fly... hate it but don't let it

stop me from going anywhere.

But darn I hate flying....

So today I take off into the blue yonder..

hoping for safe flights with less bumpiness...

Mr. Big will be there, that should help.

Saying goodbye to the blog until after the New Year,

will be back with lots planned for the New year!

.. and now a little of my private life...

A few months ago, I was trying to find

my way from a relationship that I knew just 

could not work. Opposites attract but sometimes

the opposites are just too much to make work.

I was sad about it but wanted stay friends as I

really cared for this person.

My dear Tiffany took me out in Golden Meadow..

a Halloween dress party at Boudreaux's Condo's bar

at that. In the last thirty years, I can count on one hand

how many times I have been to a bar but it's a new

life, a new world. We dressed up, she a referee

I Catwoman, a costume I bought at a garage sale on my way

up there. It fit perfect, was feeling quite good about 

my newly lost weight and how my life was going.

We walked in and the place was not so crowded,

first people we run into except for my pals,

Petey and his gal, Mary...

Four men out the night before their charter fishing trip

in the morning. Okay, I am not shitting you,

I went all the way home to meet a man who actually

lives right now, not only in Plaquemine but in my 

neighborhood, The Island!

 Something you read about in a book, ey?

It was a fun night and I spent some time with one

of the guys who was also single and my age.

Then he just left, left without saying goodbye.

I texted him quite sassily,

"DID YOU LEAVE WITHOUT SAYING GOODBYE?"

That would just not work. 

He begged me to call him, tried to call me but 

I was at a party, having a grand ol' time.

Long story short, I did speak with him the next day and

we made arrangements to eat out later in the week.

I mean we are practically neighbors!

Since that very day, not only has he followed my 

request about WINING AND DINING me

but has gone above and beyond the call.

I never knew a man could be this way.

I don't know how long this relationship will last,

and we not worrying about it.

Yes, a part of my heart is holding back,

you see, he is here for work temporarily.

He is from Georgia and eventually wants to go back home there.

He has two grown daughters, young adults both in college

and both living parents.

Would be selfish of me to think or request him
to stay here away from his family, his life.
I could not do it and so we have built this temporary
relationship and have we had fun.
All of this to say....
my Christmas present from Mr. Big....
(my blog name for him as in Sex and the City)
a trip to VEGAS!
We leave today... New Years in Vegas with a man
whom I really like.....so exciting.
Yet, even if he took me no where, even
if we just stayed home each night and had
the conversations we have....
I would still be smitten.
We are not talking about the "When he leaves"
but we both feel it, this part of our lives is coming
to a close.
WE have agreed not to discuss it until we get back,
No matter what happens, I will forever be grateful for this
man and what he has shown me.
VEGAS HERE WE COME!!

CHRISTMAS BABIES ARE THE BEST

It was perfect...

for months my sis, Taunt Mone and I had planned it.

She would come to my house on Christmas day,

we would have supper with her baby girl, Minta

in Addis, the next town over from my home,

then on the 26th we would drive to Women's hospital

to watch the birth of her third granddaughter, Violet 

be born by scheduled C section...

Oh but babies, they come when they want.

Something told me, by Minta's phone calls

"Aunt Lil y'all don't have to wait for supper to come"

"what time will y'all get here"

I told Taunt Mone that we better go as something

made me think she might be in labor.

So we left Galliano, stopped at Cindy's home just

to drop of gifts and we were on our way to MInta's home

Then right when we were in Thibodaux,

we got the call,

"UM Aunt Lil, can you guys just meet us at the hospital"

Right at the exit we needed to go straight to the hospital.

It was perfect! We got there just in time to kiss

Mommy and Daddy bye to go into surgery,

Take big sis, Lillian into the waiting room.

Then other family came, aunts and the other grandmother,

Abby and Guy....

Within an hour our little 

VIOLET GREMILLION

7 POUNDS 1 OUNCE

20 INCHES LONG

entered our big world on Christmas day.

What a great was to end a great holiday.

All are fine and our hearts are full.

Best present ever!

.... AND SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS....

Yes, here it is again, one more time,

this is Christmas morning.

I sit here in my Plaquemine home having

done my Christmas with BB, KD and the little girls

yesterday and heading out early to have coffee with 

Gypsy and Kayshara,share this morning.

Then to pick up the Taunt Mone and head to 

sister Veronica's home where I hope to see

the majority of my down the bayou family.

Having supper back in Addis with Taunt Mone's baby girl

because tomorrow her third granddaughter will be born

and we will be there.

Now that I have given the itinerary, 

This year, it's Christmas and the year is almost done.

To have come full circle in the year of 2014 is a true

testament that life is what you make of it.

We all have the same choices, to be sad, a martyr,

to hang on the cross, or to ask for off the cross,

be happy and find true happiness.

I have done just that.

Not to say in the beginning of Ron and I's separation,

I was terrible, then one day I just knew

I had to do something. 

I asked God for help, the next day I surrendered

and told Ron, letting it go. Since then

I have worked hard to get where I am and

I am better than I think I ever was.

So I wish all of you, each and every one,

no matter what your life is throwing at you,

find the happiness it is there.

I need to thank so many people who have helped me

get here so I won't even begin to try and name them all,

they know who they are, what they have done.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

make the year of 2015 the one where you put aside

pain, hostility, martyrdom and be happy.

Love to all who follow my blog, hope

to double those numbers soon.

WAS ALL ABOUT THAT TEST, BOUT THAT TEST...

MY DAUGHTER IN LAW, IS A COLLEGE GRADUATE,

AN RN!

Way back when, when BB came to me and said

"I think I have a girlfriend"

and asked if I and his sister would meet her,

I have been in love with my daughter in law, KD.

Ever since that same time, as I got to know her and

asked what was her plans for the future, she wanted

to be a nurse. She spoke of being a traveling nurse

one day. I smiled on that day. I had a feeling that

she and BB had both been "bitten with the love bug"

and any traveling she would be doing would consist

of my baby boy being with her.

Since then, she got herself through LPN school,

married BB, had two babies, moved three times,

built a home and with all of that going on she has

STUDIED STUDIED STUDIED.

to become and RN.

Seven long years, it has been with her and

her little family. Her mom and myself have 

helped some days to watch Bean when she was 

a baby so her Mommy could STUDY

and JBelle came and all she had left, following

online RN course, was the dreaded clinical weekend.

Yep. that is all that was left. It is feared by most

nurses who decide to take the route Kd did

to advance their nursing education.

I am so proud of that little family.

My BB, Kd they are a united front.

Many times I have heard them say to me or

to each other,

"What days are you studying so I can hunt?"

"mom, if you have some free time, can you get with KD

to help so she can study"

Lately, though, it has been really them two and their

two little babies sacrificing.

So the weekend was here, and I and those who love

Kd didn't expect to feel so nervous, so sick to our stomaches.

She and her parents left for Georgia and BB took

vacation time and stayed home with their little girls.

The first night was hard, she was sick and so were

we all. Being her second chance at this, she had

already left saying if it didn't happen this time, it

was not going to happen. 

Baby boy and I texted all day on Saturday, both

nervous wrecks, almost to the point of being sick.

It didn't matter at this point whether she passed or

failed for him, it was the stress his wife, my dil,

her parents knew she was under and there was not

one darn thing we could do except sit back, wait

and text each other about how nervous we were.

That first night the text came...

got through the first day and remade up all the 

labs she had to redo... PASSED.......

SO FAR! All were elated, her mother, with her,

was just like us and BB, sick as I am sure her Daddy was

feeling it also.

On Sunday, the tension was back, I decided to spend

the day with BB and the girls, this child of mines

was so ready to hear from his little wife, one way or another,

so was I. The text came before I made it to his home....

I PASSED!

Oh the tears, the group texting, the release of stress,

our dear KD, after 7 long years of working harder than

I have ever known someone to work on a degree,

had done it, she was a RN, a college graduate

and oh so proud. Of course, I cried.

I especially cried when I saw the group text that

Baby boy had typed,

"SHE PASSED, 7 LONG YEARS, MY WIFE IS 

A BAD MUTHER F'ER, I AM SO PROUD.

NO MORE STUDYING....."

there was more but just that says enough to know

what this big feat meant to his sweet family.

We spent the day together awaiting kd and her parents long

driven return from Georgia.

We decorated the house, Bean said,

"Mumsie my Mommy don't have to study no more!"

You see her whole little life she has heard,

"Mommy's got to study"

Kd, I am so very proud of you.

I also want you to know that it didn't matter to me 

whether you passed or not, I am still so proud of you.

I wanted you to pass for you, for all your hard work,

but the tenacity, the work you put into this and still

being the very best Mother to my grand babies as well

as maintaining a home and being a partner to my son,

you are the bomb diggity and I am so very glad that

way back when, when Baby boy said,

"I think I have a girlfriend..."

it was you I was brought to meet.

You, my sweet dear are my hero.

I never had the courage to do what you did,

I know it does not change what you want to do the most

and that is mother your babies, like BB said,

"Our kids don't care give a sh.. what you do as long

as you are their mommy"

and you are the very best Mommy, wife, daughter,

daughter in law, friend.

Congrats, what a wonderful Christmas present AND

you can burn those books at New Years!!!!!

Kd, I love you......

MY GYPSY, MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF

I speak often of my Gypsy and just why she is that to me.

Yet, she is also lots like me, likes people, well most

and can smooth talk her way into a good tip where she works

at Christiano's in Houma.

Both my children are not afraid of work. 

Which brings me back to the pride I felt last Sunday.

Since moving off the bayou, I try my best to stay in 

touch with as many old friends as I can. It's hard,

there are many and there are also many in Thibby.

Last Sunday, the old neighbors, the "Momma's of Tarpon Heights:

and a few of our kiddo's and Kayshara, shara made

plans to have brunch at Gypsy's work place.

She made the reservations and set us up outside on the 

beautiful outside patio, she did good....

WE all sat, Wanda, Alice, Tiffy, Gypsy, Gavin and Kayshara

and we began to reminisce.

As we did, our sweet waiter, Patrick treated us like royalty.

He also bragged on my Gypsy, saying how fast she learned

her job there, and how at first they were just coworkers,

now they still are but he was given a small promotion

and now in management. he spoke about how she

still remains one of his favorites to work with.

(gypsy, Patrick, myself)

 ( gypsy, gavin, kayshara, shara)

Of course, that made me proud, but it's not the first time

I have heard this from her coworkers.

I thanked him for loving my little girl.

The big surprise that almost brought me to tears

was a little later in the meal.

Gypsy points out her boss, the highest you can get,

as he IS CHRISTIANO'S the owner.

I did not expect him to come over and say hello,

so I especially did not expect that he came over, introduced

himself and then went on and on about MY baby girl

and how proud and impressed he is with her work.

He relayed.

"You know she was very sick yesterday, I knew she did not

feel well, yet she came in and not only did she not complain

or ask to go home, but she put a smile on her face and did her job.

We were busy, very busy, and she never whined as some of 

the other girl waitresses have been known to do. She did her

job and I let her go home as soon as I could."

He did not stop there.

"She always comes in ready to work with a smile on her

face, if others are down, she tries to bring them up"

I swear I wanted to cry, laugh, stand up and announce,

"That is my baby girl!" 

Instead, I thanked him graciously for the compliments as well

as taking the time to let me know this.

So proud of her, so proud to be her Mommy.

There you are, Christmas!

On Wednesdays I try my best to pick up Bean

at her school. Yesterday when getting in the car

there was Christmas music playing so she asked for my

favorite. I explained that my very favorite was 

from the Movie Grinch,

WHERE ARE YOU CHRISTMAS

I put it on and as we sang, i explained the words to her.

That was it, now she wanted to hear it three

times on the way to her home.

As I listened, sang and explained,

I realized, this was my Christmas at first.

Then my dear, very close friend,

insisted on buying me a real tree saying,

"I know this is going to be a hard one for you and

your little family, so I am getting you a live tree

and that he did!

 It made all the difference in the world,

with Bean and I's village she plays with under.

Back to the song,

Where are you Christmas?

Why can't I find you?

Why have you gone away?

Where is the laughter?

You used to bring me

Why can't I hear music play?

My world is changing

I'm rearranging

Does that mean Christmas changes too?

Where are you Christmas?

Do you remember

The one you used to know?

I'm not the same one

See what the time's done

Is that why you have let me go?

Oh, Christmas is here

Everywhere, oh

Christmas is here

If you care, oh

If there is love in your heart and your mind

You will feel like Christmas all the time

I feel you Christmas

I know I've found you

You never fade away

The joy of Christmas

Stays here inside us

Fills each and every heart with love

Where are you Christmas?

Fill your heart with love

I realized this has been my transformation from last Christmas

to this one. It has been a rough year but all is well and

we are all finding ourselves in our new roles

and I am happy,

Yes, I have found Christmas, in the hearts of two 

little girls who call me Mumsie

and a friend who knows what I need even when I do not.                                                                              

having kids and social media would terrify me...

Each morning, I start my day about 4:15 am these days.

I awaken, get my coffee, do the Facebook thing,

then surf net for interesting stories,

check emails, even though I rarely read them.

This am I decide to open one I like,

THE STIR.

There I read of a dad of a 12 year old who monitors

his child's social media like a hawk, busts a child sex

ring. The article goes on to say, all she does on SM

goes straight to his phone so the day he got an email

that said, "Hey Sexy" he decides to pretend he is his 12year old

and the emails go on to end up with a sex tape of the 

man doing sex things that no 12 year old should know

exists. He is livid, wants to kill, instead, he keeps his cool

and contacts the law to bust the child sex ring.

This gives me chills, I swear, goosebumps!

I wonder, what would I do.

I warn all you parents out there who have underage children,

be like this dad. Have all go to your phone, have all their

pass codes, check their texts and calls daily.

If they get pissy, remember, parenting is not about

being friends, parenting is about keeping them safe.

I think to myself. if my child would not share these things

with me then they would not have social media.

They would not have Facebook or instagram,

shoot, if they got mad, they would not even have a cell phone.

I say this, but also want to appreciate the fact that

it is hard being a parent of kids in today's world.

I know it would be easier to just trust them.

But in this case, his child was innocent, the perpetrator

was the one who was after his child.

No way in hell!

Having two little girls who call me Mumsie,

makes me so afraid but I have no doubt that BB and Kd

will be those types of parents who won't care whether

their kids like them or not when this time comes.

Have to protect those babies.

Also, with all this being said, I want to admit I am

so thankful that all this media was fresh and new when

my babies were teens. I got the easy way out and still

I am sure there are things I didn't know.

Just remember, you pay their bills, you pay their phones.

If they won't let you check them, then they don't need them.

With appreciation to all parents who are doing the job of parenting

to the best of their ability, 

keep it up. 

If you are more of the "I trust my teen" type, realize

there are those out there after them.

Ugh this world.....