five senses friday ... special edition

three years ago today, darling daughter M got married. I may be a little biased, but it was the most beautiful ceremony I have ever attended. so full of love. family. friendship. so today's five senses friday celebrates November 12. the day our family of four happily became five.

happy anniversary sweetie.

taste ... mushroom risotta. my choice at the wedding supper.
hear ... 'Wonderful World' by israel kamakawiwo`ole, the bride & groom's first dance. this Hawaiian take on the Louis Armstrong classic is one of my favorite songs.
feel ... memories. they swirled in my head. the past. the present. the future. all focused on this one moment.
see ... the bride word red satin shoes. quirky. cute. all M.
smell ... the ceremony was outside and the fresh California air was filled with the scent of flowers.

'when children find true love, parents find true joy.'

life as we know it

'this is my life. it is my one time to be me. I want to experience every good thing.' these words by Maya Angelou express how I feel today. it has been a lovely day. a perfect day. a glorious day. a good day to be me.

I spent part of my day at work, on a little project that I forgot to do yesterday. my bad. but my wonderful boss is a patient man (thank goodness) and on these days when I am a little more than forgetful he treats me with kindness and understanding (and I choose not to see the little glint of a 'oh c'mon now' glare). but the good girl that I am, I went in on my day off to remedy the situation. and happy to do so.

I spent part of my day at home. the hubs works at least two days at his office in Austin, so I relish my quiet time at home. I puttered. did a few chores. and made dinner (ah yes, she cooks. occasionally.).

I spent part of my day out with my favorite furry boy, my dog Chaz. he loves to be in the thick of things. and with the hubs traveling a bit more than usual recently, I have been taking him with me to run errands or just hang around. so today we went to the park. I took a book. Chaz took a chew-bone and we laid on a blanket and under the bluest of skies watched the clouds swirl by. he is a good friend. a faithful companion. and just darn cute when he is out and about.

I have told you before. and I will gladly tell you again. I live a blessed life. I live a perfect life. I am loved. I love. I share. I laugh. I cry. I succeed. I err. but I do it all enthusiastically. for better or worse. take it or leave it. accept me as I am. you can choose to fear. or love baby.

'love always wins, always, always, always.'

birthday 101

I am recuperating from a fun-filled weekend. family was in from Charlotte and Boston to celebrate the 60th birthday of my brother-in-law. a good time was had by all. and just off the tour of our own birthdays, we were still in the mood to party. but the question always is 'how do you celebrate a birthday milestone?' there are guidelines in my birthday party planning book. lessons learned. fit to share.

Birthday Guidelines 101
1. make it memorable.
2. make it sentimental.
3. make it fun.

all simple concepts. and scratching the ol' noggin here is what we came up with for our most recent celebration.

1. make it memorable.
we were asked to bring party hats. so off to the party pig (always the start of a good time). wandering up and down the aisles we passed display after display of notably raucous party ideas. it is my humble opinion that over the hill and aged to perfection are two themes that should be put away for several generations. so we settled on colorful party hats and an extra big hat with polka dots for the guest of honor. and then EUREKA!! the pièce de résistance. the perfect accoutrements. hanging innocently in the 'fiesta' section were fake moustaches. the men of the hubs clan are noted for their moustaches. and especially said b-i-l; who has a soup strainer of all strainers. moustaches for everyone. #1 guideline. check.
2. make it sentimental.
the b-i-l is big into family stuff. also into horses (and associated equestrian events). so we went through bin after bin of grandfather's stamp collection to find equestrian themed stamps. and there were quite a few. so we had a few matted and framed. two sentimental birds in one stroke. #2 guideline. check.
3. make it fun.
apart from a spanking machine, how do you liven up a AARP birthday party? with a good limerick, of course. now admittedly I did steal this idea from the hubs dinner party (thank you friend E for giving me the idea). so we wrote a three verse limerick and added some pictures and voila! smiles all around. #3 guideline. check.

of course, the very best part of all the festivities was being together. catching up. hanging out. celebrating life. sharing love. in the birthday tutorial you'll find that advice in the last chapter where it says 'same time, next year' and never 'the end'.

'and thank you for a house full of people I love. Amen.'

small gestures

I have been in a bit of a humpf the past few days. I do not make a good single
woman. but today, out of the blue, a delivery man came to my office with glad tidings of great joy. a bouquet of flowers with a simple message attached ... 'I miss you'.

the hubs knows just how to perk me up. think I'll keep him.

'let us dance in the sun, wearing flowers in our hair ...'

a room with a view

I have spent the past few days alone. the hubs is out of town. sigh. and in that time I have spent hours at home. sitting in front of the television. watching movies. I like to stay busy. but I am easily distracted by the lure of movies. and I must be careful not to channel surf when I don't have time to simply sit. and watch. and veg. I try to think of it as furthering my future as a film critic. not furthering my waistline and becoming a couch potato.

fortunately (or unfortunately) I have come across some favorites. some forgotten gems. and a few I should be embarassed to mention. but since I'm among friends, I know you'll indulge me. and bring the popcorn.

these are a few of my favorite things (movie-wise) ...

sense & sensibility (Emma Thompson rules).
dirty dancing ('nobody puts baby in a corner').
hot fuzz (unappealing title; great movie).
in her shoes (with ee cummings appeal).
amelie (I can understand French with subtitles).

'a truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on a detour.'

five senses friday ... episode four

fall has finally arrived in Texas.

taste ... vegetable soup. I have my mom's recipe. so simple. all in one big pot. all at one time. simmer for hours. oh that first mouthful. truly comfort food.
hear ... rustling leaves. the trees are shedding their summer clothes. falling asleep and baring themselves to the chilly evenings. now everytime I step out the door there is the delightful crunch under my feet.
feel ... a chill in the air. opening the door in the morning brings a welcome word from my lips ... brrrrr! summer had her turn and overstayed her welcome. hello fall. happy to see you!
see ... a handwritten recipe. I have a few of my mom's notes that I cherish. one is her soup recipe. just a scribble on an old yellow piece of paper. but seeing those words from her make me smile.
smell ... er, vegetable soup. the aroma waifs through the house and warms me with memories.

'everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.'

keeping you posted

wanted to update you on the big birthday dinner because I know you were worried. well, maybe not. but I am so please with the results that I must announce that the surprise party went off without a hitch. plates were all but licked clean. rousing verses of happy birthday were sung. heartfelt toasts were made and even a tear or two shed. it was a glorious evening.

from the moment the front door opened and the first guest arrived. no even before that. from the moment the hubs walked in the door and saw the dining table set for 9 the smiles began. and the hugs. and a few minutes later when company came in laughter echoed throughout the house. stories were told. pantomimes ruled and hands gestured enthusiastically. there was clapping. and cheering. it was a jolly evening.

I had asked folks to bring a toast for the birthday boy. and in between dinner and a carrot cake dessert we went around the table. toasts to friendship. aging gracefully. youth. happiness. neighbors. there was a declaration of love. a few verses of 'las mañanitas'. and two limericks. it was a magical evening.

'happiness held is the seed; happiness shared is the flower.'