Whether you celebrate the Christian part or just the candy part, my best wishes for you and your family on this blessed day.
family
Flowers and birthday blues…
Spring by the River
I decided a few weeks ago it was time for me to practice making flowers again. Why? It’s spring… and my sister’s birthday. Now y’all know i’m not really the floral type so it was definitely more for the latter reason than the former. My much, much older (ANCIENT actually!) sister Frances just llllooooovvves flowers. And not just any flowers – BLUE flowers.
Lilies in the Deep
I have no idea what it is with her and the colour blue but she just ADORES it! And not just any blue: deep, rich royal or cobalt blue. Nope, no pastels, sapphires and turquoises for her, it’s gotta be dark blue and it also better be covered with flowers. Anyone in her life understands that to be with her is to be surrounded with varying shades of deep blue… and flowers. Lots of them.
River Garden
So considering how often she used to beat me up, i learned decades ago to stop arguing (despite not really caring for the colour blue or flowers) and just give her what she wants… or maybe it’s a need?
Blue Pandora Beads
Not very many people could get me to sit down and just make blue flower beads over and over again over several torch sessions but for her…well ok… since i KINDA like her… a bit (plus she could keel over from lack of exercise any day)… i figured i could squeeze out maybe one… or two. or three. plus a few bracelet beads. But that’s it. i’m done. No more blue flower beads for me!
(p.s. Her birthday was April 2nd and yes, through her wrinkles, grey hair and doddering i could tell she was very pleased. I think she even let go of her walker for a moment.)
This commercial completely cracks me up!!!
Honestly, everytime this commercial comes on the TV i end up bursting into laughter (for all the wrong reasons) and i’m usually in tears and gasping for breath before the commercial ends…. I wonder if the creators of this Pull-ups diaper ad realize how hilariously subversive this commercial is?
Plus, you know rap has gone completely and utterly mainstream when it’s used to sell diapers and has toddlers, their parents and communities grabbing their crotches and street dancing!
Who knew?
As a little girl i spent many hours sitting between the knees of various female relatives getting my hair braided. I always wanted to just let my hair go free in its natural kinks but considering the amount of effort required to untangle the resulting knots it was rarely permitted.
Once i had the Teenager, i thought i’d be free of those many, many hours of back-breaking labour required to convert a fantabulously kinky afro into tiny, neatly twisted coils.
And then braids came (back?) into style for boys…
The Teenager turns 17 today
HAPPY BIRTHDAY POOKIE!
One month old
And I woke up all teary-eyed pondering the significance of this particular birthday…
…it’s his last year to experience all the freedoms and luxuries of childhood.
…this may be the last year he lives full time with me (depending on where he decides to go to university) – and while i joke about the limited real estate, I’m really (really!) gonna miss him.
…he’s changed so MUCH in the last year! I’ve watched a child leave and a young man slowly appear in my home. I so rarely have to put on the “mommy hat” now that when i do he seems to find it hard to take me seriously.
…he’s just unbelievably smart, funny, confident, calm, cool and collected. I’m truly enjoying what little time he spends with me now and really looking forward to the coming adult years when i hope i’ll not only be his mom but also his friend.
…every day i think about how lucky and proud I am to have him as my son. He’s worth every single sacrifice and I’m still stunned he turned out OK (since for the most part i had to figure this parenting thing out by trial and error along the way).
…I’ll always miss waking up to hugs from chubby little arms, the wet kisses, a damp little hand wriggling its way into mine, the many gag-worthy mother’s day breakfasts, the bony prods and pokes from tween cuddles and being called mama, mommy, mummy. I’m now just “Mom”. But I think I can now at least? hopefully? retire my title as the “meanest mommy in the WHOLE world”.
I’ve now got my comfy viewing seat off to the side and i’m getting ready to watch him complete his journey into adulthood.
Evelyn Duberry - Glass Artist 