Sunny with a chance of quarter sized hail...on the porch...

Question #17. Where should I break the rules? Beck says "Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you." I have been saving the hardest questions for last. What are my rules? I am civil, I believe in civility...manners. Respect. I want that in return from the people around me. It seems old fashioned of me to expect people to be kind and mannerly. I am taken aback by rudeness and social cruelty. The rules I break (will not do) to stay true to myself are the ladder climbing at another's expense, to profit at someone else's loss. I do not judge others for their beliefs. This is the way of the world...but not for me.

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More rain on the porch...

Spent the weekend in Isabella at our camp. Lots of rain and pretty cold but fun with one set of grandkids. The baby looks out the window wishing away the rain. She tried to whistle all one day. The big kids played outside barefoot in the trees. We ate fresh fish and too much summer food. The kids had root beer floats for breakfast along with Papa's french toast. S'mores in the rain..Papa told the kids he dreamed about the big marshmallows they had eaten and when he woke up his pillow was gone...they looked worried for a moment. Memorial Day services at Moss Lake Cemetary...such a lovely, serene place. The perfect spot to be buried if you must be buried. There is history in that hallowed ground...

It's raining, it's pouring...

This weather is not good...camp is under water. It is still so cold. I am needing a little sun. Tornado season is scary down south.

Which leads me to answer question #16. How can I keep myself absolutely safe?  Life is so uncertain...the only way to survive it is to develop courage. Live despite your fear. So my answer is "I can't keep my self absolutely safe."  Losing my mother at a young age has made me have to work so hard to live my life without fear. I am careful with my life. I never want to go sky diving! I remember when my hope was to live long enough to raise my girls. When I was nine years old someone asked my what I wanted to be when I grew up...my answer was, "I want to be an old woman."

I have a wonderful life. So much love, wonderful people, simple joy...

Reading on my porch...

I just finished A Discovery of Witches. So smart, so spellbinding. I am so sad it is over. If I could have crawled inside of this book I would have. I enjoy a challenging read, one that keeps my interest and this book was so mesmerizing. I am now having a hard time finding another read to equal this book. Any recomendations??

It is warm on the porch...

It is a beautiful sunny afternoon on the porch. I swept and weeded and put the cushions on the very old wicker settee. Painting the ceiling yellow is still on my to do list. I need red geraniums, lots of them for my porch pots. I subbed today at the L.C. So much fun being with those special students.

Question #7. Are {the virtue squad }better people? You can substitute the group that makes you feel the worst about yourself, the group you will never have the discipline to join. Weight Watchers, can't do it. YMCA, I have paid and not gone back after the first class (more than once). Yoga, bought all the stuff...I look so cute in it...I can't go for more than two classes. I am not a group person, not a joiner but I do good things on my own. For myself and for other people. So my answer to #7 is no.

Cleaning on the porch...

Not the porch itself...too cold. I packed away my big winter sweaters while wearing a sweater and freezing. Brings up  question #9. How much junk could a chic chick chuck if a chic chick could chuck junk? According to Beck and Tzu "To become enlightened, each day drop something." It hit me right in the head today how hard it is for me to let go of my junk. I have clothes I have not ever worn and will not ever wear but I keep just in case I need them when I am a bag lady living on a park bench. I have the Life Magazine that came out after Kennedy was shot. I did finally recycle those baby bottles that used plastic bags from the early 70's. I have the girls tiny pj's, they are totally worn out & stained but I can't throw them away. I did try to drop a few ratty sweaters but I packed them right up again...I'll throw them out next season. I hope. 

Another day, another porch...

I gave my two young Grands a bubble bath in the spa tub tonight...things, I mean bubbles, got out of hand. All I have to say is that there are no towels left in the house and my hair is very wet. I wiped everything up but first we laughed til we could not breath...

Another question...

Question# 14. What do I love to practice? If you really want to excel at something, go where you are passionate enough to practice. I love photography. I am practicing Macro now but I also love capturing unguarded moments of my grands. Spring flowers, buds, raindrops, nature. Studying, reading and taking pics...my passion. I wish I would practice yoga and piano.

Mother's Day...

Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I miss you and I thank you for your love...

Thinking on the porch...

Back to those twenty questions. I have turned sixty and am still here after all. Question # 13. Am I the only one struggling not to {cry } during {  doctor's appt. } {pass gas} during {yoga}? Ah, no.  Every one dreads committing some sort of social blunder. Substitute your greatest shame-fear then know you are not alone...feel liberated. The doctor I see is probably thirty-five I am so anxious about my inevitable tears...just ask me nicely "How are you feeling?" Bwaaa! How can she possibly know what menopause is like??? No sleep, creaking joints, actual sweating thru...I could go on and on! She smiles and says "No worries, just the aging body." Bwaaaaaaa. I know this but I did not want to hear it from someone so young! I do not want to cry in her office. So I make my social blunder worse by trying to make an old lady joke...

The point, the answer to # 13 is that I am not alone. We have all made a social gaffe now and again. Accept that this is a part of being human...

60 and counting on the porch...

I did it. I not only survived the big day but I enjoyed it! My sixtieth birthday far surpassed my expectations. My dear old husband (Sentimental Old You) decorated, made breakfast and my fav, coffee. My first gift, I was expecting this, a 100mm Canon macro lens. But then a surprise a low rise, old lady bike. I love it.
We packed up and traveled to T.C. to my oldest daughters home. On the way lunch at Cut River Inn. My favorite White Fish Chowder and grilled White Fish fresh from Lake Michigan. Oh, and it just gets better from here. My youngest daughter from MQT meets us in T.C. with her family(5 kids, 6 hour drive) her hubby has to fly out to take his boards on Monday . Seven of my Grands greet me with love and excitement. Gifts and a Moomers Black Cherry ice cream chocolate cake sent from my Texas family. T.C. daughter had a lime green feather boa and a  beautiful tiara for me to wear. So diversion complete I go to bed thinking what a lovely family birthday I had!

Unsuspecting I go out to breakfast (Cracker Barrell)with my hubby and then he tells me to take my time at Borders and buy a book of my choice?? Hmmm?
Back to my daughter's and there are cars lining the long driveway...tears of disbelief. I know these cars. My brothers sisters and their children whom I never get to see enough of. Once or twice a year at best. I walk down to the beautfully decorated back yard...Surprise!! My 80 year old Uncle drove from G.R. My niece & family (red heads like me) from Grand Ledge (three hour drive each way)! My sister from Detroit made a Barbie cake!! Her wonderful young daughters. My beautiful slightly older sister & husband from Midland kept the secret. My brother with the garden (he reminds me of all the good things about my Dad) and his wife who is more sister than in-law from my old home town. My baby brother, his amazing daughter (we share camera art love) and his wife who also is more sister than in-law from Sparta. Two friends of my T.C. family whom I love as if they were my own gave me their day for my birthday! My Texas bunch was with us in our hearts and on the phone. My Sis & Bro from Idaho sent me a basket to rejuvenate me! Arizona Sis sent beautiful e-wishes.
The Grands dressed up and decorated and passed around a little heart shaped book for everyone to write in. A tower of tiny Cupcake Wars cakes and my mother's recipe potato salad and grilled hamburgers & gourmet hotdogs with all the trimmings for lunch. My son-in-law (grill chef) touched my heart when after I thanked him for opening up his home said "I owe you 599 more days like this."

I am so thankful for the love and  the gifts of time and effort given by my wonderful family to make a day I was dreading (first day of old age) a shining memory. Sixty is not the new forty but it is an amazing number!