sun tea, tulle and the stars in the sky...

Here is my last reply to TLC’s “60 Favourite Things About ELC" (see her posts on March 18th, March 25th, March 28th and March 31st) :

Yep, I’m officially hooked/addicted/obsessed with Pinterest. Thanks sooo much, TLC! (For those of you who would like to see my Boards—please feel free to visit me at ELC.)

Yep. I love camo. When I had my first broken bone ever—I was 55 and broke my right wrist falling in our shower…sigh—I got a camo cast. Why? No rhyme or reason. Except I thought it would be funny. I broke it on Labor Day—the opening of Dove Season in Texas. Guess that was on my ditzy/clumsy mind. Mostly I adore and wear camo pants. Long and Capri. I’m not a hunter. Never have been. Never will be. One of my favourite boards on my Pinterest? Camo and Pearls. Ha.

I am FABULOUS at coloring. In coloring books. (Allow me to brag on myself, okay?) Yes, yes I am. It’s very therapeutic for moi. Will love coloring until I can't do it any longer. Period.

I do love My Sun Tea. Not only is it economical, it’s delish.

Of course I print a lot of pictures off my phone. Duh. What’s the point in taking them (and some really are quite awesome, again, if I do say so myself...) if you’re not going to print and share them? It’s sooo simple—using the Walgreen’s app. Or any other app, I’m sure. That’s the one I have and know. (Plus, I wait for on-line coupons to get the best price!)

I probably would argue with TLC (who is actually the quintessential gift giver—seriously...) about her contention that I'm very thoughtful about gifts. While I do NEED to give gifts to those I love, I’m not so sure I find such “wonderful treasures.” I do try, however. I do try.

Yep. I am always up for a Road Trip! Love to travel by car. Always have. Always will. We call it “adventuring.” Little Leighton’s (LL) eyes have lit up with excitement since she was a tiny babe when we ask her: "Would you like to go on an adventure?” Not sure when she’ll realize that an excursion to get some frozen yogurt or to the Post Office might not exactly be as thrilling as we promise.

Nothing could have made me happier—on my actual 60^th birthday day—than to treat LL to an official tu-tu! Nothing. (See "our mini Chiquita banana..." post on April 7th.)

I pretty much have to harmonize—at this point in my life. I haven't been able to sing “high/soprano” in at least twenty years. Everything has to be quite “low/bass.” Music has and always will be a major part of my life. I think that’s why I cried every single day, at the age of 54, for a solid year when I went deaf in my left ear. (The second year it went to every other day...now it's about every other week.) I cannot imagine a day that doesn't include music. And not just the music on the radio. My cell. My computer. The television. I also mean the music of my loved ones' voices. Especially their laughter.

I stopped sending the three roses to TLC two birthdays ago. Once LL was born,  I knew anyone trying to deliver said Birthday Flowers to her could be at risk of losing a finger or hand—ringing the doorbell or knocking, don’tchaknow. (J/K.) I’ll be going back to this cherished tradition. For now, TLC understands and is thankful that a delivery from moi hasn’t woken LL up!

Oh. My. Yes. I love stars! I have from about three years old until this moment. When we moved to the country, I learned there is no place else on Earth that showcases the night skies quite like you see miles from a city or town and undisturbed by other lights around you. Looking up at night literally takes my breath away. Each and every time I gaze upon the billions and zillions of stars I can see in the North Central Texas sky, I'm in total awe. Stars are a big reason I believe in Our Lord God Almighty. I get chills at their magnificence. At His Amazing Creations.

Tulle is magical! It’s fancy! It’s special! It’s Princess fabric! Yes. I love tulle. (Since I’m 60 and not certain I’m of an age that should be even thinking about wearing it, I’m happy to see it on my granddaughters, my daughter, my young friends, pillows, greeting cards, etc. etc. etc.) Tulle ROCKS.

Yep. I do so wish I’d been born to become a Cowgirl. Cowgirls are brave. Cowgirls have their own special "style." Cowgirls also ROCK. (Cowgirls that wear tulle? Extra FABULOUS.)

I say it over and over and over—I don’t think of myself as a “survivor.” I’d been through some hard, bad times before my breast cancer. I’ve been through some rough stuff since. We’re all survivors. If you’re breathing, you’re surviving. What I am is LUCKY. To be alive. That’s it. That’s all.

I do so strive to be kind, brave and honest. Not sure I succeed that often at any of those important qualities. If feeling every little joy, heartache, happiness, and sadness that not only I experience, but also those around me experience, makes me soulful, then I suppose I am soulful. Although, "sensitive" may be a better word for what I am. But I do love soulful—so I’ll take it, TLC. Thank you. Thank you very much.

There is no gift TLC could ever give me, buy me, find me that I could love more than this list she made for me. Thank you, Precious Daughter, from the bottom of my not-getting-any-younger heart. I’ll treasure these posts for as along as I can read, think about, and remember them. I love you, Dearest Child O’ Mine. I adore, cherish and love you. With all of my soulful being.

This concludes two months of learning more about ELC than you ever wanted to know! Thanks for your patience!

We'll be announcing our "theme" for May this week! We're quite excited...

smooches for now, Silly Friends Everywhere...

Creepy or Cool?

This is a Century Cactus Plant outside our master bedroom door from two views:

My Sweet Hubby (MSH) and I have not seen a cactus on our place grow a spike/spear like this since we moved out here to the country fourteen years ago.

Y’all remember how much I love love LOVE cacti! (See my Coochie Coo post on April 21, 2011…) MSH hollered at me to come outside two weeks ago to show me the beginnings of this “spear.” It currently has to be almost sixteen feet tall. TLC saw it when it was about eight feet tall—Easter weekend. She was totally creeped out by it. Really couldn’t say enough bad things about how weird it looked. She’s no fun.

I’ve embraced its beauty and wonder! I can’t wait to see what else happens to it in the next days and weeks. MSH researched “Century Plants” yesterday. Apparenty the tall, cRaZy-lookin’ stalk means this cactus is at the end of its “life cycle.” That makes me sad, of course. Very.

The “country” is full of sheer and utter amazement to moi. Mother Nature and Her critters, birds, insects, snakes? They fill me with curiosity, love, peace, fear, respect, joy, more fear, and incredible faith in Our Lord God Almighty. The sunrises, sunsets, fast-changing skies, sounds, mysteries—everything I see, feel, touch, and hear makes my heart and soul sing with gratitude.

Hope each of Y’all have a Wonderful Week—Wherever in the World you are! (I also hope you see something like this—something different. Strange. Interesting. Something that makes you say: “Wow! That’s awesome!” Something that makes you glad to be alive.)

smooches and hugs, Dear Friends…


p.s.: Please don't look at our yard and garden! They'll both be much purtier in a few weeks. We're (patiently) waiting for the damage Old Man Winter did to everything in North Central Texas to be healed...

stop and smell the...

PETUNIAS!

This was Little Leighton's reminder to her Mother and Grammy yesterday while we were "just a-swingin'"at our neighborhood park.

I wish I could say "April showers" had brought these pretty flowers, but, alas, the rain in Texas has been quite dismal -- to say the least. We ARE very grateful for what we've received, but a couple of the spring storms have been accompanied by hail. YIKES. We could do without that and so could the pretty flowers.

Also, when did my teeny, tiny baby suddenly become a little lady? Maybe it's just the baseball cap? Yes. That's what it is.

I'm now going to go drown my sorrows in a pint of Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

Sweet Dreams!

The Lady with the Lipstick

In the interest of time, I’ll only defend, or comment on, a few of the “part trios” (TLC’s March 28^th post) things My Darling Daughter so kindly said she loved about me. Some of them have been discussed by both of us in past posts and don’t need to be re-mentioned. Some, in my humble opinion, could use further clarification.

31. It’s beyond true: I could not survive without hot rollers. I’ve tried. Stresses me too much. Big Texas Hair is much easier to make happen with hot rollers. Period. End of Story.

33. I treasure typing. When I was in high school, one hundred and fifty years ago, before computers, you took Typing. It was required. I have no idea why. (Watching the football players try to learn was, yes, almost painful.) I not only admired my typing teacher, but also her daily encouragement to practice, practice, PRACTICE. To become faster and faster and faster. (It might help you get—and keep—a job, at some point in your future, she said.)  I was not an athlete. There was no amount of practice that was going to make me a fast runner. Or fast basketball dribbler. Or fast swimmer. I fell in love with typing because I excelled at it. From the moment I became proficient, I discovered I enjoyed sitting at a keyboard, doing my thing. (This talent I have does not necessarily mean I am a fast "texter." Quite the contrary. I'm pretty pathetic and I make tons o' mistakes. I refuse to use Auto-Correct. That could be part of the problem. I use ELC-Correct. Occasionally.)

34. As y’all know, I am no Chefette. But I agree with TLC (and others who have complimented me in the past): I am eggcellent (I crack myself up!) at scrambling eggs. I think, as I perfected my technique, it came out of a strong need to make sure there was no “crusty” burned stuff (yuckiness I would not be able to eat without experience major gagging…sorry for that visual) in or on my eggs. I don’t think it’s such a small thing—to be known for cooking good scrambled eggs. Breakfast IS the most important meal of our day, right?

35. Knowing. By Estee Lauder. It truly is my “signature” scent. I’ve been wearing it for at least thirty years. When TLC was in the 4^th grade, one of the Moms of a young man that was a 6^th grader at her school told me he had told her he always knew I’d been in the halls. He could smell my cologne. He was the same cute fella that called me “The Lady with the Lipstick.” In the three years TLC attended that school, clearly, my work there was accomplished! By the way (43): I may never truly forgive Estee for discontinuing Apple Cordial lipliner. Seriously—she broke my heart. I live in fear she will let Fig and Café Rose fall by the wayside. I can’t think about that now. I’ll think about it tomorrow.

44. Reading. My escape. My unending obsession. My love. No. 5 on ELC’s List of the Most Important Things in My Life. It comes after God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. My family, most especially My Sweet Husband, TLC and Little Leighton. My amazing friends. My health and safety and all of the marvelous blessings I have received from Lord God Almighty. No. 5: The ability to READ.

As I close this post, on this Terrific Thursday morn, in North Central Texas, I wish each of you a day full of love, laughter, comfort, hope and wisdom...

(Easter Sunday is less than four days away. One of the most emotional Christian celebrations for me, personally. I pray that each of you, no matter what your faith is or spiritual beliefs are, takes time to reflect on the role you play in Our World. I pray you make a commitment to do something for someone—over the next several days—for no reward other than the desire to be a good person and the sheer and utter joy of practicing a random act of kindness.)

smooches and hugs, Dear Friends...Wherever in the World You Are…