...a dictionary lesson

BLISS



Pronunciation:
\ˈblis\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English blisse, from Old English bliss; akin to Old English blīthe blithe
Date:
before 12th century

1 : complete happiness

i really want to make the effort to be closer to my friends. ...my old friends. you know, the ones that you couldn't seem to live without when you were 10 and the whole world revolved around saturday plans, sleepovers and playing. and how annoying big brothers and big sisters could be and if you were going to walk or ride your bike to school?







the same friends that in high school knew who your crushes were and the code names that you had given them. the ones that ended up being your maid of honor as you walked down the aisle to being a grown up... yeah, those friends.







the ones that you seem to have let go of .... keeping in touch once a year with christmas cards that mark the growth of their children. and time ... and schedules .... and life marches on.







i was thinking about that today because i had to go the funeral of my old friend's father. i drove the hour and a half back to my hometown and sat two pews behind her and her family. i sat there and noticed the grey that was now sprinkled through her wavy black hair, her shoulders small as her husband sat with his arm around her. i watched her two grown daughters stand and gracefully eulogize a grandfather that they so clearly adored. after the service as she walked up and we hugged i saw that her face, etched in grief, had aged with delicate wrinkles that kept tally of the joys and sorrows she had lived. but through it all i still saw her just how i met her in second grade, curly black hair, a big gap between her front teeth, and a small little pixie face. i was the funny brash one and she was the cute sweet one. but together we were perfect friends.











'You can't stay in your corner of the forest, waiting for others to come to you; you have to go to them sometimes."


Winnie the Pooh

i've been going through old photo's lately pulling pictures of little so that danny and marshall can make her a graduation video. it was something i did for biggums which was a huge surprise but of course this won't be such a surprise for adds.

...just one of the many drawbacks of not being the firstborn.

sifting through my stacks of picture boxes (that i will one day go through and
actually organize...creative memory style) i came across this folded newspaper clipping...



so this is the story,
one year when the girls were small , cliffie and i packed them up and
went to downtown oviedo for the annual christmas tree lighting.

.... in a small town, a christmas tree lighting is a big deal, believeyoume.

arriving late, with stroller and toddler in tow, we made our way into the crowd to vie for the best possible spot. but it seemed like the entire town was there to see the lighting of the giant tree.

majestically it stood on the front lawn of the lawton house, a sweet little two story wooden house with a wonderful wrap-around porch.

weaving through the crowd, cliff spied the empty front porch and made a quick bee-line with both girls...he had found the A spot! a perfect view of the tree .... a perfect view of all the people.... right where you wanted to be. feeling pretty proud of himself, he smiled and motioned for me to join him.

but all too quickly the music started and the ceremony began. as i stood rooted in my spot, out of the lawton house stepped the entire oviedo high school chorus.
they began singing beautiful christmas carols.
as all eyes turned and were fixed on the porch.
ray lucas took some really great pictures of the tree that year but by far i think this was his best one...




















p.s. you really need to click on the picture to appreciate the moment...

what can i say...

We've been together since way back when Sometimes I never want to see you again But I want you to know, after all these years You're still the one I want whisperin' in my ear
You're still the one I want to talk to in bed Still the one that turns my head We're still having fun, and you're still the one
I looked at your face every day But I never saw it 'til I went away When winter came, I just wanted to go Deep in the desert, I longed for the snow
You're still the one that makes me laugh Still the one that's my better half We're still having fun, and you're still the one
You're still the one that makes me strong Still the one I want to take along We're still having fun, and you're still the one
Changing, our love is going gold Even though we grow old, it grows new
You're still the one that I love to touch Still the one and I can't get enough We're still having fun, and you're still the one
You're still the one who can scratch my itch Still the one and I wouldn't switch We're still having fun, and you're still the one
You are still the one that makes me shout Still the one that I dream about We're still having fun, and you're still the one...

don't i look happy in this picture? such was our life when we were in joplin missouri ;... pictures in newspapers, happy strangers wanting to give us welcoming gifts and the overall sense that we were the next best thing to getting new pandas at the zoo.

i don't remember much about our time there, just enough to know it was strange and i didn't understand anything anyone was saying. most of the time i scowled and tried really hard to hide behind my mom although as you can see, in pictures, i was always out in front. my mom and my sister were gracious, so was my dad... me? not so much.

but we were lucky to have been there and lucky to have left communism. i didn't know at the time that where i had come from people were no longer free and that if you disagreed you were either thrown in jail or put up against a wall and shot. i didn't realize the fear and the strength it took my parents to leave all they had known to start a new life. they hid all that pretty well, me?...not so much.

man, i don't care who you are...

that's funny

just something i love...

i know this is the epitome of queerness but i love my aprons. if you ever come over to my house, i'll probably have one on. they are the world's greatest invention. i keep just about everything i need in the pockets (they have to have pockets or else what good are they?) it's like a wearable purse... really. my phone, some chapstick, rubber bands and hair clips, a few dog treats, once in awhile a golf ball or two. right there at my fingertips...so perfect. the other great thing about aprons is the ability to just wipe your hands on them, a little dirt, some soapy water, a bit of dog slobber... it doesn't matter. and as a bonus you never have to hold your stomach in.

nice.

i can't tell you the happiness it brings me.

when my friend, charlie likes something he says with this big grin, "saweet!"

and that's exactly how i feel about my aprons. so if you're ever wondering what to give me as a gift you're never going to go wrong with an apron, i'm telling you... it'd be golden. because seriously, honestly, when you're wearing your apron you're telling the world, "hey i'm getting something done around here...don't mess with me i'm busy! all business, no nonsense... yep, that's me.

i love this apron, it has my name on it which works out really well for the friends who forget names after a few drinks...

and these are a few of my favorites...