Bad Idea

I was tootling around
putting off doing the dishes
when I got the idea to look back
to see what was in my journal this time last year.
I thought I might ask everyone to do it
Post an entry from a year ago.
Never look back
I saw pictures of my dear dog I lost
pictures of my little Victoria (the child I babysat)
who moved away
and I had to curl up in the big chair with Emily kitty and a blanket for awhile
It was a rough year, folks
Lots of bad vibes and negative thoughts at work
I used up so much of my energy trying to stay loving
Some nasty old misunderstandings between Tom and I keep rearing their ugly heads
I never know whether to beat them back down
into the psychic swamp they crawled out of
or to sic them on him and let them fight it out!
I am trying to walk this road peacefully
but there have been some potholes to circle around this year.
I want better times
I have to make them myself, I know.
Gathering courage,
Marti

Perspective

My eldest, Mariah
is my staunchest ally
my best friend
but she gave me a special wrinkle in the middle of my forehead during her teen years.
One day I was at work
and received a phone call from a neighbor informing me
there was a great party going on at my house.
As I was storming to the phone to call Mariah,
I was called into the library by the principal.
She asked the whole staff to join hands
then she told us the book keepers seventeen year old had been diagnosed with a brain tumor.
After we all wept together, I left a message n the answering machine
"you're busted, Mariah, pick up"
"Yes, Mom?"
"I just called to tell you how much I love you".
I never caught her skipping school again.
As a postscript, the child with the tumor is a 10 year cancer survivor, married with a four year old.

and it's another party

My Friend Steve tended bar with me during that magic time 25 years ago at a little Irish pub.
He found my first gray hair.
He taught me how to dance the Hustle.
We shared a lot of stories after last call in the light from the exit sign.
 I don't keep up with people I went to high school or college with but all of us from that little bar stay close, even though our evenings consist of tea sipping much more than beer drinking these days.
We celebrated his birthday this weekend

Every birthday is precious because we almost lost him 10 years ago.
He is HIV positive, but doing well.
His partner Vaughn fell right into our family.
Tom was not up to a road trip so I went all by myself

The trip went fine except a raft blew out of the back of a pickup truck and hit my windshield,causing a really scary moment of blindness!
It was a great weekend.
I met some interesting people and enjoyed old friends I don't see enough of these days




and I was reminded so strongly of why I quit drinking tequila that I gave myself the opportunity to quit drinking it again!
I don't think anybody has ever died from a hangover but I may be the first!
Lemons and Love to all,
Marti

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We Can't Wait

A year is too long to go without Mardi Gras
so we had a summer solstice parade!
I do so love my home town!

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Father's Day

We found a secret way through the woods to the beach!
(no one I know locally reads this, so it will stay secret)

Sneakin

Smilin


Still smilin

You should have seen us parking way down the street and darting through the underbrush!
Wishing you all a sweet secret place,

Marti, Tom , Caitlin and Jack

Kathleen

Kathleen is from New Zealand.
She is a sheep rancher
A  crew person on a sail boat
and Cissie's life partner.
She can't stay in the United States
She cant get a visa.
So she and Cissie snatch what little time they can
traveling back and forth.
They hired a lawyer who told them
"If you could just get married there would be no problem"
But Kathleen was the one
at the ball game
who told us all
"Stand up!"
When the National Anthem came on.

Let me add a postscript here.....we ALWAYS stand for the National Anthem. We were tailgating outside the stadium and Kathleen was the first to hear it. (even though it's not the point of the story, I dont' want to be offensive)

And the circle shifts

Long time ago
It was me and Tom
in love
on the beach
Then there were parties till the dawn
Then there were little sandy children
Now its me and Tom
on the beach
in love.