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Saturday, April 30, 2016

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR KD...

Happy birthday, too you!!!
( in my best, not so good, singing voice!)
Yesterday Baby boy boiled crawfish for his 
family to celebrate his Kd's birthday.
I did not write her a love letter, unusual for me,
so I decided, a love letter on the blog for
all those who follow to see.
MY DEAREST, DAUGHTER IN LAW, KD.
I KNOW YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS CALL THIS
BIRTHDAY THE 
DIRTY THIRTY.
I ALSO KNOW YOUR "DIRTY" CONSISTS MOSTLY OF
PUKE AND DIRTY DIAPERS.
LAST NIGHT, AFTER COMING HOME FROM
YOUR CRAWFISH BDAY PARTY
I REALIZED THAT THE FIRST TIME
I MET YOUR FAMILY WAS AT YOU 20TH 
BDAY PARTY! IT WAS AT A RESTAURANT IN 
BATON ROUGE, THE WEATHER WAS TERRIBLE,
BUT SO MANY OF YOUR FAMILY WERE OUT
TO CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY.
I KNEW BEFORE MY BB WAS IN LOVE WITH YOU,
THAT NIGHT I WANTED YOU TO BE HIS WIFE.
YOUR FAMILY ACCEPTED US ALL WITH OPEN ARMS
AND I FELT LIKE I HAD KNOWN YOU ALL FOREVER.
NOW, TEN YEARS LATER,
YOU ARE BB'S WIFE, YOUR FAMILY IS MY FAMILY AS WELL.
YOU HAVE THREE LITTLE GIRLS WHO ADORE YOU,
I CALL THEM MY GRAND GIRLS, 
THEY CALL ME MUMSIE, THEY CALL YOU MOMMY.
SOMETIMES THEY SAY THAT LOVINGLY, SOMETIMES
IN A SCREAM VOICE SOMETIMES JUST IN 
A TONE OF A CRY AND A LOOK IN YOUR EYES.
ALL THESE SAY, MOMMY TO YOU.
I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR 
BEING ONE OF MY BETTER FRIENDS THROUGH
THE LAST TWO YEARS. 
THANK YOU FOR LOVING MY BABY BOY,
WITH HIS CRAZY SENSE OF HUMOR AND
HIS SOMETIMES IRRITATED WAYS.
YOU GET HIM AS NO ONE ELSE DOES.
I LOVE WHEN I AM AT YOUR HOME AND ONE
OF THE GRAND GIRLS DOES SOMETHING
AND YOU BOTH ARE OVERJOYED OVER IT
AND I LOOK TO SEE YOU BOTH LOOKING
TO LOCK EYES WITH THE OTHER.
I LOVE WATCHING YOU BOTH ENJOY THOSE
GIRLS AND LAUGH TOGETHER WHEN THEY DO
SOMETHING SO VERY PRECIOUS.
MARRIAGE, IT IS NOT AN EASY THING
BUT COMMITMENT IS A NECESSITY FOR
ANY TO LAST. COMMITMENT EVEN WHEN ONE
MAY NOT DESERVE IT. A COUPLE NEEDS TO HAVE
THAT FEELING OF NO MATTER WHAT,
PRETTY, UGLY, SICK, SASSY, THE OTHER
IS GOING NO WHERE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING THE MOTHER YOU ARE
TO THE GRAND GIRLS. I SEE YOU IN ACTION.
SOMETIMES, WHEN BB IS AT WORK, I TRY AND
COME TO HELP YOU BATHE THE GIRLS,
I HEAR YOU DISCIPLINE THEM BUT HAVE
NEVER HEARD YOU LOOSE YOUR COOL WITH THEM.
I HAVE SPENT NIGHTS WHEN I WATCH THE CIRCUS
CALLED THREE LITTLE GIRLS UNDER THE AGE
OF 5, RUN ALL AROUND YOU, MAKING MESSES
AS THEY GO AND YOU NEVER LOOSE YOUR COOL.
YOU ARE FOREVER EITHER COOKING, CLEANING,
ROCKING BUT YOU ARE NEVER COMPLAINING
ABOUT THE GIRLS. LAST WEEK, I SLEPT THERE AND
AFTER HELPING YOU PUT ALL THE BABIES
TO BED AND I LAID TO SLEEP WITH BEAN,
I HEARD YOU, STILL AWAKE CLEANING HOUSE.
WHEN WE AWOKE THE NEXT MORNING THAT
HOME WAS SPOTLESS. IT TOOK MAYBE 15 MINUTES
FOR THE GIRLS TO AWAKE AND MAKE
THEIR TYPICAL MESS, BUT FOR THOSE
15 MINUTES THE HOME WAS CLEAN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WENT TO BED,
BUT AGAIN, NO COMPLAINING FROM YOU.
AS I GOT READY TO DRESS BEAN TO TAKE
HER TO SCHOOL, THERE WAS HER LITTLE 
UNIFORM WASHED, FOLDED SMELLING FRESH AND
CLEAN. WHAT LUCKY LITTLE GIRLS....
YOUR MOM AND I ENJOYED KEEPING THE
GRAND GIRLS FOR THE NIGHT SO YOU COULD
GO TO SEE A CONCERT WITH YOUR FRIENDS
BUT BOTH OF US ADMITTED, YOU LOVE YOUR
LIFE BUT WE COULD NEVER DO WHAT WE DID
IN THAT LESS THAN 24 HOURS DAILY.
I AM PROUD WHEN I SEE YOU AND MY BB
WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO CREATE
THE FAMILY THAT YOU ARE.
I LOVE YOU KD, A FEW YEARS AGO YOU GAVE ME
A KEY CHAIN AND ON IT WERE THE WORDS,
"THANK YOU FOR RAISING THE MAN OF OUR DREAMS"
TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO ADD
"THANK YOU FOR BEING THE WIFE AND MOMMY
I HAVE PRAYED MY BABY BOY WOULD SHARE
HIS LIFE WITH"
HAVE A GREAT AND WONDERFUL DAY MY SWEET,
WONDERFUL DAUGHTER IN LAW,
I LOVE YOU SO, SO BIG!


Friday, April 29, 2016

ALZHEIMERS, NO LAUGHING MATTER

I love Will Ferrel, have loved his work
since the older days of Saturday Night Live.
However, this morning I am not so proud
to admit I am a fan of his.
I read and see on the news that he is
producing and starring in a movie
I think titled simply REAGAN.
I am Reagan fan as well
which makes me very disappointed in Will 
for making a comedy about something
as serious and sad as
Alzheimers and dementia.
Of course, the move is not out so not
many of us know exactly how he will
make this comedy but like the Reagan 
children have expressed to Ferrell.
"THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY, NOTHING
ABOUT ALZHEIMERS AND/OR DEMENTIA"
And I agree. Ferrel has been known to play
many Presidents on SNL over the years,
even having imitated Reagan in his well days.
Yet, I know that once Ronald Reagan became
sick with Alzheimers, his love and wife of 
many years,  Nancy did everything, everything
to assure that our President Reagan would
never be seen sickly nor be seen out where
others could see his decline in health, 
the days he did not know who his family was,
did not know who even "his Nancy" was.
Now Nancy is dead, reunited with "her Ronnie"
and Will Ferrel decides to write a comedy 
on Reagan. Hmmm what timing,
making sure Nancy was gone before 
putting this movie out there.
Again, I don't know how the movie will
be portrayed but having had a Mother
with Dementia, I am taking offense to a man
with as much money as he needs, can
make any movie he wants, he chooses
the Reagan's. Yes, you Reagan children,
there is absolutely nothing funny of Alzheimers or dementia.
My love for Ferrel has dropped a few notches.
I have a feeling if Nancy were still alive,
1) this movie would not be being made or advertised
and 
2) Cowards wait until those who defend the sickly are
dead to do their portrayal of a man who can no longer
defend himself.
ADDENDUM TO THIS POST!
I HAVE BEEN TOLD AND READ THAT
WILL FERRELL HAS PULLED PRODUCTION  
ON THIS PROJECT,
NOW THAT IS THE WILL I KNOW AND LOVE.

Sunday, April 24, 2016

PROMS, PROMS, EVERYWHERE....

Last night was a big night for most the
schools I know, Prom.
Prom at SLHS, Prom atTHS, Prom
and 9th grade spring formal at EDW.
Praying all got home safely to their own beds
last night or wherever they were supposed to lay 
their heads. I want to brag about a few children I adore.
First, My great nephew, Hugh who is a senior this year
had no plans to go to Prom. His little gal is younger than
he and too young to attend his Prom. 
Low and Behold, Big Man had different plans
and I just know his parents were so proud and pleased by this,
You see, EDW does their Prom Court selection different
from most schools, One is chosen from each club.
However, my nephew was chosen by his Senior class,
to represent the EDW class of 2016.
What an honor! He was not Prom King but to us,
he has always been that special to us,
my sis, his granny sent pics of him singing and
dancing to the dance required after announcing Prom King
and Queen "MY GIRL"
Teared me up, it did!
His little sis, Lucy also had her 9th grade spring dance
and she was absolutely beautiful! Looking and
conducting herself so much like her Mommy.
I know the time in that Plaisance family is passing too 
fast for their parents but they have soooo much to be proud 
of and they are! I know before I know it, in a blink of an eye,
it will be our little girls, my grand girls celebrating these 
milestones. STOP TIME, STOP!!!!!
Then South Lafourche Prom, again on the same night.
The bestie's baby and her date were also so very 
gorgeous. Hard for me to see our little girl, Jess
growing into the most lovely teen.
No longer buying silly hats and all those things she loved.
She has been a trooper having just had her wisdom teeth pulled
the week before, she was beautiful! Her Juanaldo, cute
but needs to SMILE!!!! Lol love ya, Juanaldo, and Jess.
OMG, you were beautiful!
Adding this as I did not know my sweet great niece, Abby
also attended SL Prom!  Would have loved to see that
beauty all ready for prom with a lucky young man
having her on his arm! Sorry I didn't mention before
I thought Abby girl was in Hawaii!!!
Love ya, Ab!
South Lafourche had many children I knew going to Prom
but I can't mention them all. I, though cannot
forget my pen pal, Joshua, although he graduated last year
and now works at the center, he was invited by one of his friends
and I do believe he actually had two girls to tag team him
in the dancing department. His pictures were just soon
perfect. Facebook is full of kids I know as well as their parents,
some my age, still doing Prom! Be Still My Heart!
Then Thibodaux Proms.....
So many of these Jrs. and Seniors were my kiddo's when I
was school nursing! 
I just can't name them all! Yet, everyone of them beautiful and
making me miss my job of school nursing as well as
watching them grow making me want to cry.
I do have to mention my Elise! 
Not enough space to explain our relationship.
How many times our lives have crossed, how
close I remain to her, her sister and her parents.
She was absolutely stunning!!!!
Like my nostalgia didn't already have me feeling
like crying but her Mom sent me copies of
her graduation photos.
Some of them being her in her Dorothy costume as
she played D a few weeks again her school play.
(sorry can't find pics on this darn computer)
Bean and I attended and bought her a cute
chain that said "There is no place like Home"
with red shoe pendant and a handmade card
filled with love words she always expects from me.
What I did not expect was there in her bunches of
graduation pictures taken by Myra Rouge
was one with her in her Dorothy costume
holding the chain we bought her and the love note
and card I made her.... sniff sniff.
Gosh how I love all these children,
those I spoke of and those I have not....
Prom 2016 is over and again,
I pray all made it home safely.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

VIETNAM ONE WEEKS DEAD

Now that I am single, and spring cleaning has not time to rush
through, I become easily distracted.
Yesterday, it was the closet in my spare bedroom
that holds most of the grand girls toys.
I had to clean them all out, downsize but each
one brought back some type of memory.
It took hours. So this morning I am like,
"okay, today I am going to finish this task"
Then I come across the stack of over 
15 full Life magazines that I found last
night in that very same closet.
The dates on the magazines? 1967 through 1969.
As I layed in Touro Hospital fighting my
own battle called Cancer, my brother fought
a battle known as Vietnam. 
This morning the magazines get my attention.
Especially the one with the article titled,
 VIETNAM, ONE WEEK'S DEAD
dated June 27, 1969.
This article strikes me because I associate
Vietnam with brother, Peter.
As I look through the article I am
surprised by the first two pages having
24 young mens images there, all between
the ages of 18 to 25. Way too young to die.
The real shocker is when I turn the page.
you see, those were not the only ones killed
in the total of that one week,
there are 10 more pages filled with pictures
of more young men, ages the same.
In one week, a war that some believe should 
have never happened,
142 young men lost their lives!
I am shocked, I am saddened, I am proud.
Proud that Life magazine believed this war
was important and that they placed each ones
picture in their magazine. I am saddened to realize
how many of those lives would have made
even more of a difference in the world than 
what might they have been if not having 
to fight a war. I am proud, so very proud 
that I have a brother, who like these men,
went to a place he knew little about 
not because it might have been what he wanted
but because it is what his country, Our Country
asked of him. My brother, we were so lucky,
came home alive, but in no way will I say he
paid a lesser price than those faces spread
across the pages of an old Life magazine.
My brother went away as an innocent young
man and came back as someone else and
none of us, NONE will ever know exactly
what he may have been had he not had a war to
fight in. Yet, although his health is not the best,
he is finally recognized fully by the
County as a VETERAN, A HERO.
He went on to be a father, a husband,
a Pop, a funny man but not the brother he 
went away as.
So I close the Life magazine as I am just
not ready to read the article. I will now
go and continue to clean my cottage
but in no way will my mind or heart leave that article as
one mans words,
"I SEE DEATH COING UP THE HILL"
the last words he wrote to his dear Mother,
wil not leave my mind on this most beautiful day,
a day that I will remember,
WE ARE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE.
Thank you brother and all those other heroes.







Wednesday, April 20, 2016

My take on Singlehood...

"You can't be alone" they said...
"You don't want to grow old by yourself" they said....
"You need to find someone to share your life with" even more said.
I have now been single, after being married for 30 years,
for two year. It was not just 30 years, it was a dating
relationship that started when I was 15, he 17.
He always worked away and I hate to admit,
but I counted down the days sometimes when it was time
for him to return to work. We grew to be so different from each
other. I could blame him for the end of it all but the fact of 
the matter was I needed out as well. We had grown apart,
two very different people who had little in common.
Thankfully we saved lots and both of us have a comfortable
lifestyle in our 50's. 
But this post is not about him or I or the end of Us.
It is about all those things people tell you when you become single.
I had never dated. Being 15 when we began courting,
I just didn't date. So my first year of single hood, I dated a lot.
And I had fun. The most being the relationship I had
with a man I met in Golden Meadow who landed up
being my neighbor in Plaquemine.
We both knew it was temporary and that within months
 he was moving back home and I was not going to leave my 
grandgirls.
Now, the second year of single hood....
Well I have had a change of thoughts.
I have met many fun and interesting men but
I am just not in a hurry to have a stable long term relationship.
I find myself after a few dates with one certain one,
I am backing out, Just not wanting a long term relationship
as some of the men I have dated. We may start out good,
seeming to have some in common but after just a few
dates I realize we are just too different. I like orderliness,
I like neatness, I like my time with my grand girls and my family.
Many either don't have this or its not important.
I just can't seem to promise myself to anyone because
I am so set in my ways and love my cottage, content
with me, loving that if I decide a day to myself doing not much,
I can, If I wake up and I just am not feeling up to par, its okay,
having no one to worry about but me.
I look around my cottage and I am so proud of the home
I have made. I realize that all those sentences I listed
at the beginning of this blog are untrue.
I find myself dating less and enjoying me time more.
I can see myself, being very content in my little cottage,
sharing it with the people I love,
siblings, my children and their loves, my grand girls,
and my life is content. Although I like dating,
I also like waking up to my cottage, to the quietness of it.
I can't see myself right now remarrying or living with someone.
I know some may not believe this but I am so very content 
with me. I like my own company, I like waking up to me.
Lately, I have found myself enjoying the company of another
because we both seem to like the same things.
We are good friends right now, enjoying cooking together,
watching movies he loves that I have never seen,
I love the way he understands I don't know much history
but getting older finds me wanting to know more.
He is a good teacher. We are friends, friends of the opposite sex,
not needing anything from the other but fun.
 I feel that both of us understand we like time away as well as
time together. I don't know where this will go and
the great thing about this friend, It really does not matter.
He has his own space that he loves as I do.
He works away which gives me lots of Mumsie and "me" time.
We have lots of the same believes of cleanliness of home,
liking movies and reading, there is no pressure in this relationship
to be any more than one day at a time.
We don't speak of love, future, meeting each others family.
I am happy with what it is now, I think he is as well.
I guess what I mean is neither of us needs anything from
the other so we really just enjoy each other and neither
of us demand any time from each other.
Very adult, understanding we have lives outside of our friendship.
  Looking forward to possible spend a few days together
but if we find ourselves nothing but friends,
I know that the statements of above are not for me.
I will be happy and I will be content, I already am.
So if you find yourself single after many years of being an "us"
take the time to find you before you decide you need another.
You might just find that when that pressure is gone,
you might be able to open to friends of the opposite.
Also know, there is nothing, absolutely nothing wrong if you decide
that being single can be fulfilling and full of contentment.
Just a few words to all those out there realizing 
life does not end because the WE becomes YOU.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

ANOTHER TRANSPORTATION POST!

Not sure why, but lately all my ideas of blogging
have me transported to childhood, mine in particular.
Last night while laying to sleep, I am thinking of 
our family home and how untraditional my
childhood was. For instance, my dad stayed home
and my Mom worked. Untraditional for the 60's.
My Dad built our family home way before I was
ever thought of, it was big and by the time I came
around, a little run down. My Mom and Dad were
not true hoarders but they did have some traits,
It's just that some things were not important to them.
For instance, Last night I was remembering the 
wall drawings.... Yes, my parents allowed us
to write and draw on the walls. That is what
consumes my thoughts last night....
What kind of parents allows their children to write
on the walls of their home, not me for sure.
Yet, it says a lot about what my parents were
like by the time the three youngest of 7
came along. I think my sister, Rosie, 8 years older
than me, was the first to be able to play
Michalangelo. Celena and I just followed,
we always followed her.....
Last night I remember where I phone was, we only 
had one and it had a cord, yes, children, a cord....
on the wall there I was allowed to write all
the phone number I and my family needed.
I mean what better place to write phone numbers,
beat writing it on paper and loosing it.
I can't remember ever getting fussed for writing
on walls... Crazy, right?
Upstairs, my parents rarely came.
Sister Rosie not only had black light posters everywhere
but had also painted the words to 
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN 
right there on her wall.
Yes, it was very unconventional but such a happy 
happy place to grow up.

Saturday, April 9, 2016

"ENJOY LIFE, THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME TO BE DEAD"

For the last year I am infatuated with a magazine called
FLOW.  Although it is fairly new to the US ofA,
it is not a new publication. 
I love it because each published copy monthly focuses
on one thing that we all need to think about.
It is a paper crafters dream as well as it has
lots of ideas and lessons for crafting.
Last night, I pull an older magazine to revisit.
That month the whole topic was to slow down,
enjoy life.
Then the sentence:
'ENJOY YOUR LIFE, THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME
TO BE DEAD"
hans christian anderson
Lately I have thought a lot about life after this.
To the point that some nights as I lay to sleep 
I fear it. What does happen when this life is over?
Will my children, grandchildren miss me lots or
just a tad?"
"Will they throw all my treasures I have collected my whole life
away or sell them at a garage sale????"
Yet, the one sentence,
Enjoy life...... enjoy life, enjoy life...
Lately I have been trying to do just that,
work in the studio, write, craft,
getting a few job orders again.
I am content when I am in my studio.
There is so much rush in the world of today
that I am fortunate I was able to retire young,
so I can enjoy life freely.
Someone recently tried telling me that being alone sucks.
I thought of that a lot. I may never find myself
remarried but I am far from alone.
Yesterday I did just what the one sentence dictates.
I played in the studio then Baby boy came to do a few
honey do projects for me, bringing Tuts with him.
It was, by far, one of the best afternoons I have had in some time.
So my new motto for my life,
ENJOY LIFE, THERE IS PLENTY TIME TO BE DEAD

Friday, April 8, 2016

hand held for comfort, a hand held for love...

Seems like my posts now are all transportations to
my younger life, I will just go with it...
Bean had her 5th bday party and what she calls 
"The jumping place"
a big building full of blow up slides and jumpers.
When it came time to take pictures and videos
I started clicking away.
After the first verse of 
Happy Birthday to you,
I saw Bean reach over to hold her Daddy's hand.
He held Smalls in his right hand, Beans hand with his
left. Kd stood on her others side holding  JoJo.
That simple gesture, the holding of her Daddy's hand
reminded me of when my babies were young.
Baby boy that year would have been 6 or 7 and
gypsy baby, 3.
We had a small truck where the small back seat consisted
of two little chairs that folded down, facing each other.
It was the perfect size for two little kiddo's.
Baby boy was a Momma's boy back in the day.
The memory that comes to me was a day
at the beach of Grand Isle.
It was a beautiful day and all were happy for our
little family. When it was almost time
to leave Baby boy whispered to me,
"Mommy, when we get in the car can I sit in the
seat behind you so we can hold hands in the crack of the seat"
As we loaded to leave, I strapped gypsy baby into her 
side behind her Daddy and Baby boy behind my 
passenger seat. As he began to leave,
I felt that small tap on my shoulder and a 
little hand closest to the door side came through
and BB and I held hands home.
It touched me then and it touches me now,
that my hand holding could bring so much joy 
to my little son.
Yesterday as we played with the grand girls
I mentioned to him how Bean held his hand
through singing Happy Birthday.
I am not sure whether he was aware before I mentioned it.
The simple act of holding a hand of  someone who loves you,
A hand held for comfort, a hand held for love.
        

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Running to Home...

I have had some months of much contemplation,
so I have neglected the blog.
Yesterday, I began to change things once again.
Ya know, my life, ever changing....
My thoughts even consisted of maybe
time to start a new blog altogether,
new life, new blog....
But I could not think of a better name than
Lilbit of My World.
So as I am thinking of all of this
in the car, driving home, I am 
behind a bus. I have always loved following
a school bus on its way bringing children home.
My thoughts are elsewhere as one stop drops
off this preteen black child. 
I am drawn to him as he crosses the street
with the bus safety stick down,
he runs across the street but he does not stop.
He is the only child who gets off here
and his running continues down a driveway
where no people are seen.
As he runs I realize just how happy this child 
is to be returning home, Running to the people whom
he probably calls family. Maybe there was a special car
there telling him that someone he loved was visiting
or home, whatever the situation,
he melted me and transported me back to being a little girl.
I remember loving being dropped off or walking home
from school to Dursette Street.
Always, always being happy to return to the place
where I was unconditionally loved.
This little boys running reminded me of how my heart would
drop when one of the people I loved was not home after school.
I loved home, I loved it if it was just myself, Mom, Dad,
Rosie and C. I loved it when any of my older siblings
were visiting with their families or when sister,
Veronica was living with us for a time with her
three girls and Nonc J.
My childhood was the best, and this little boy, running 
home after a long day at school was all it took to get
my blogging juices flowing.
Stay tuned, I am back on the blogging tract.