Wordless Wednesday - direction

Love you all more than my luggage! Hugs, smooches and gropes!

Memorial Day

Lest we forget... To my American friends, and all the families and friends who have suffered loss... my thoughts and prayers are with you. To Sgt. Dub, stay safe and come on home my friend. THEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD AS WE THAT ARE LEFT GROW OLD; AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM NOR THE YEARS CONDEMN. AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. Love you all more than my luggage! Hugs, smooches and gropes!

I.. um... well... hmmmmmmmmmmm... videos!

Wednesday... hump day. Can the week go faster please? I've been feeling blah lately, and I guess I have to find a way to jump start myself. Maybe a few giggles. I'm not sure what to make of this one... The creepy part is, if they actually produced this, it would probably attract an audience. Now.. here's a lovely animation short with a little something for everyone... a squirrel for Matt-man, a chicken for Meri, a cowbell for Jonathan and Bessie (I apologize as this is NOT her good side). Rooster, Elvis... Well, I'll be! This ALWAYS makes me giggle! This child has a future... Little Becky Prank Call - Demo man Love you all more than my luggage! Hugs, smooches and gropes!

Sweet Melissa

I had a visitor the other day. And she brought me to a beautiful place, which gave me a glimpse of a beautiful heart (Sgt. Dub, in a way I have you to thank for that - please stay safe). I've discovered something over the months I've been doing this "blogging thingy". I started doing it in September 2006 to put some of my thoughts out there, to share with a circle of friends. My circle has gotten bigger, despite the fact that I'm not the most diligent of bloggers, and I suck at visiting everyone, everyday. Some days I have the energy and time to respond to all the comments, others, I must say I do not. If any one has ever felt slighted by that, I apologize. Life gets in the way. I have good days, I have bad ones. I've come across some wonderful people, many make me laugh, some touch my heart, a few make me think. Many of us have never met, yet we pray for each other, cry together, laugh and cheer each other up. I'm adding a link to my sidebar, but I wanted to make sure everyone who comes through here and reads this post pays this sweet young woman, who shows strength and shares her heart willingly. To her Mom, any time dear Debbie... mothers stick together. To Melissa... I wish you continued strength (and darling, you have it in spades). I wish you peace. I offer you a shoulder, and as many hugs as you might need... You've touched my heart and I'll be keeping an eye out for you. ‘If something comes to life in others because of you, then you have made an approach to immortality.’ -Norman Cousins This is for you, about time you heard it... Sweet Melissa. Love you all more than my luggage! Hugs, smooches and gropes!

Daddy's Poem

A dear friend sent me this.. I felt compelled to post it and not just forward the e-mail. Her hair was up in a pony tail, her favorite dress tied with a bow. Today was Daddy's Day at school, and she couldn't wait to go. But her mommy tried to tell her, that she probably should stay home. Why the kids might not understand, if she went to school alone. But she was not afraid; she knew just what to say. What to tell her classmates of why he wasn't there today. But still her mother worried, for her to face this day alone. And that was why once again, she tried to keep her daughter home. But the little girl went to school eager to tell them all. About a dad she never sees a dad who never calls. There were daddies along the wall in back, for everyone to meet. Children squirming impatiently, anxious in their seats One by one the teacher called a student from the class. To introduce their daddy, as seconds slowly passed. At last the teacher called her name, every child turned to stare. Each of them was searching, a man who wasn't there. 'Where's her daddy at?' She heard a boy call out. 'She probably doesn't have one,' another student dared to shout. And from somewhere near the back, she heard a daddy say, 'Looks like another deadbeat dad, too busy to waste his day.' The words did not offend her, as she smiled up at her Mom. And looked back at her teacher, who told her to go on. And with hands behind her back, slowly she began to speak. And out from the mouth of a child, came words incredibly unique. 'My Daddy couldn't be here, because he lives so far away. But I know he wishes he could be, since this is such a special day. And though you cannot meet him, I wanted you to know. All about my daddy, and how much he loves me so. He loved to tell me stories he taught me to ride my bike. He surprised me with pink roses, and taught me to fly a kite. We used to share fudge sundaes, and ice cream in a cone. And though you cannot see him. I'm not standing here alone. 'Cause my daddy's always with me, even though we are apart I know because he told me, he'll forever be in my heart' With that, her little hand reached up, and lay across her chest. Feeling her own heartbeat, beneath her favorite dress. And from somewhere here in the crowd of dads, her mother stood in tears. Proudly watching her daughter, who was wise beyond her years. For she stood up for the love of a man not in her life. Doing what was best for her, doing what was right. And when she dropped her hand back down, staring straight into the crowd. She finished with a voice so soft, but its message clear and loud. 'I love my daddy very much, he's my shining star. And if he could, he'd be here, but heaven's just too far. You see he is a Marine and died just this past year When a roadside bomb hit his convoy and taught Americans to fear. But sometimes when I close my eyes, it's like he never went away.' And then she closed her eyes, and saw him there that day. And to her mothers amazement, she witnessed with surprise. A room full of daddies and children, all starting to close their eyes. Who knows what they saw before them, who knows what they felt inside. Perhaps for merely a second, they saw him at her side. 'I know you're with me Daddy,' to the silence she called out. And what happened next made believers, of those once filled with doubt. Not one in that room could explain it, for each of their eyes had been closed. But there on the desk beside her, was a fragrant long-stemmed pink rose. And a child was blessed, if only for a moment, by the love of her shining star. And given the gift of believing, that heaven is never too far. Take the time...to live and love. More soldiers are coming home draped in their flag. Thank a soldier or a veteran today. Stay safe Sgt. Dub. Lest we forget. I love you all more than my luggage. Hugs, smooches and gropes!

Just for laughs...

The Doo-Wops... These boys from the Great White North give me the giggles... You might not look at peanut butter the same way again... Kinda makes me wish I was allergic to nuts... I'm going to go laugh my ass off now... Love you all more than my luggage! Hugs, smooches and gropes!

Yipee!! Music tag!! And I'm it!

Travis knew this would be right down my alley knowing I’m a rocker chick with an affinity for guitars, Rock, and the Blues... and on Mother's Day he gave me a wonderful gift.. homework. GUITAR solo homework!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Getting to share this with Chicklet and her cherry (actually the colour is raspberry) new Alvarez guitar, fantastic! Favourite Guitar solos, no problem! Wait… picking just 5? Big Problem! I decided to pick from my favourite artists and give you a taste of what some have called the best guitar solos of all time. I could have gone the "safe" route, but I wanted to share songs that mean something to me, either because of how it makes me feel, the memories associated with it, or the plain righteous vibe they set forth. There are obvious choices... and Travis already covered some of my all time favourite solos… Be sure and visit him and listen to some outstanding guitar solos. The first song that came to mind blows me away every single time I hear it… It's slow, simple, long and it makes me close my eyes and sigh... You won't find it on any of the "official" greatest guitar solo lists.. it was one of those previously unreleased songs that was most likely laying around in a vault until someone realized just how sweet it is and included on a career retrospective CD. I share with you... Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Blues Medley. It’s a sit out in the sun, with a beer and a gentle breeze kind of tune. It includes bits of B.B. King's Sweet Little Angel, one of my all time favourite songs. It's one big ole guitar solo and if you love the sound of a guitar, it's one of those songs you just might enjoy. So... get your favourite beverage, go outside, sit in the sun ( I should probably remind you about sunscreen)… kick off your shoes and TURN IT UP! You can't... Well, I can't have a guitar list without The Great One himself: Mr. B.B. King. This has to be one of the best of all time... if I could just find a way to see him perform live, I could scratch one of the great to-dos on my list. The Thrill is Gone I share my birthday with one of the best guitarists who ever graced us with his talent, one who was tragically taken from us too soon, Stevie Ray Vaughn. His death left a void that has not to this day been filled. The great thing about this version is... the great B.B. King and the late Albert Collins play on it. Three of the great guitar legends... It may be too much for me to stand. Texas Flood … that’s some mighty righteous guitar on there. I’ve seen Carlos Santana live 3 times.. one of the best experiences was back at the stage at La Ronde in Montreal. They have some phenomenal shows and fireworks displays. That was were I saw Santana for the first time.. outdoors, on a hot Montreal summer night, and you could actually see stars (which can be hard to do with all the light pollution). And the sounds of Santana filled the air.. SWEET! Europa appears on the usual guitar aficionados lists… At a Santana concert, something happens.. you can feel the music course through your body.. you can see it run through the crowd… and it takes over. A truly orgasmic experience as far as concerts are concerned, he gives great guitar solo. There are no words to express what takes over at one of his concerts.. the atmosphere is charged, electrified. It's MAGIC. I had to insert a video for this one. Watching him play is a joy. One of the reasons I love Carlos so much (apart from his shoes and charity) is the Joy he clearly feels when he shares his great love of music with the audience, and especially with the musicians onstage with him. It took a long time for him to garner the kind of recognition he deserves.. far too long. Travis justly referred to Santana’s Samba Pa Ti as “seduction through guitar”… this next song fits the bill. It's one of the greatest rock songs of all time – from one of the greatest rock bands (oooh and Robert Plant- the Hair.. the Voice... the jeans... oh my.. THUD). Jimmy Page makes his guitar sing… watch his fingers in this clip. If you've never seen "The Song Remains The Same", do yourselves a favour. Led Zeppelin’s – Since I’ve Been Loving You. Prepare to THUD or THUMP. It's a lying in bed naked, sweating and panting, exhausted and exhilirated kind of song. Well.. I don't know about you but I'm breathless... I know what you're thinking... No Clapton? THE Guitar God? Well, Travis already included him and I would have (were I a cheat) included "Crossroads" ... but I had to try and follow the rules. No Jimi.. . well, that's simply because I can't pick just one... It's like trying to eat just one chip or peanut at a party when the bowl is staring at you calling out your name! Oh.. and um.. you might want to give "Comfortably Numb" a listen (find a live version - Pink Floyd was easily one of the best concerts I've ever been to). Just sayin'... I guess I'm supposed to tag people... I tag John, Angell (I really do love tagging you girlfriend!) and Starrlight. That should cover diversity. Anyone else who wants to play, just join in! Love you all more than my luggage! Hugs, smooches and gropes!

It's almost Mother's Day...

I decided I should laugh... My moods in the past few months have ranged from silly and giggling , all the way to doom and dread. That usually happens when I take a peek at the laundry room and decide that maybe we should just move to somewhere warm, join a nudist colony (considering the picture on the left, me thinks the Chicklet might not mind) and be done with the need for laundry. Whenever I start taking this notion too seriously I remind myself that they would probably make me give up shoes, sandals and boots (Oh the Humanity!) and that I cannot do. My regular reader has witnessed my fondness for footwear on more than one occasion (Guys, I promise the slideshow is coming... Aunt Bertha and Uncle Gus have nothing on this one!). But in all actuality, most of the time I just feel an overwhelming void. And the impending shadow of Mothers Day is making it worse. You really don't have to read on.. you might just want to skip to the video.. or hit the next blog button. What comes next isn't cheerful and is just a form of catharsis for me. I am decidedly not writing it to elicit any sympathy, but because I have to get it out. To those of you who have reached out to me in the past few days, knowing, I thank you. I love you much... Since Mom's death almost 4 months ago, I've been covering up a lot of sadness. Trying to live, survive, move on, be brave, make people laugh and all that crap (the life goes on version of "rub a little dirt on it... and walk it off"). I feel like the only thing keeping me tied to the real world most of the time is my beautiful, sparkling and precious daughter. Every once in a while I get a good day, but sadness always gets to me sooner or later (usually the former). It lurks like the monster under the bed or the creepies in the closet. I can't set foot in my parents' house without feeling sick to my stomach. There are too many memories there. And although you might think it to be comforting to be surrounded by memories and things that are associated with a loved one who has passed, for me, in this case.. it just isn't. Not so many of them at once. That was my mother's house, it feels hollow and dead without her. She hadn't lived in the house since last summer when we she started getting sick and had to be rushed to the hospital. But somehow, it still felt like she was there. I've gone through the motions of every holiday and special occasion that was important to my mother since her death... I went through the motions of Valentine's Day because of Chicklet... but to me, it was just the one-month anniversary of my mother's death. I was grateful for my ex-mother-in-law who hosted a party for my daughter's birthday. I just couldn't do it, she knew... I'm certain of it. She knows the pain of losing a mother, she's gone through it herself. The time Chicklet and I got to spend with my sweet friend Mary and the ever charming and darling Alex (aka Bug) meant more to me than she could have ever imagined. I Love you Flygirl. I was grateful to wake up in a hotel, on a trip with my Chicklet on Easter morning, just the two of us... it was unlike anything we had ever done while Mom was alive. I don't think my father and I really wanted to celebrate his birthday either... Birthdays were Mom's thing, she got the cake or made it, and made sure we had cards to give. But, Chicklet and I drove together to Dad's house (I can't get used to calling it that) because Mom would have wanted me to, and Chicklet wanted to give her Papou a birthday kiss. St. Paddy's day was an exception because it has always been big for me and wasn't part of Mom's main holidays. So, that one holiday, I gladly participated in. It was wonderful seeing Chicklet's enthusiasm for it. And she and I started new traditions. Life goes on ... we rubbed some dirt on it and walked it off. And now I find myself on the eve of Mother's Day... Chicklet has made some presents for me at school, and I know they will be beautiful and I will cherish them. I miss Mom but I know she would give me hell for moping on Mother's Day. I'll just focus on Chicklet's joy and hold her tight. I really do apologize if you actually read through this and it harshed your mellow. Rub a little dirt on it.. and walk it off. We may as well laugh... Mom loved to... So, as Mother's Day is almost upon us... I haven't met a mother yet who hasn't felt that eye-twitch... the one often triggered my a small child calling out repeatedly "mommy... mommy... mommy... mom... mom... momma... momma.." a la Stewie Griffin. Or the one you get as you're driving through traffic, late for work or an important appointment, or exhausted from a long day at work dealing with moronic questions and requests you want to answer by using the magic 8-ball... and your child finds the long lost whistle and proceeds to blow it with unadulterated glee as if heralding the coming of the Messiah. You know that whistle... the one that had been wedged and forgotten in between the cushions of the back seat along with a penny, a couple of Goldfish crackers (No!! Don't you put that in your mouth!!!), some mysterious goop - which may have been a grape in a previous life (they do not always turn into raisins it seems), and a rock. The plain ordinary rock that your child has decided holds magical powers as it is a vestige of an ancient druid temple and has found it's way across the ocean in some Viking's tunic (try explaining to your child that Druids and Stonehenge are not contemporary to Vikings.. it's a lost cause) ... yeah.. THAT rock! At that precise moment, your head feels like it's going to spin around like Linda Blair's and fall right off like the guy's head in that mint commercial. You just want to scream... and shove the child off the ice. And then.. your child giggles... she tells you she loves you... your heart melts... and she lives to see another day. A true Mommy moment. Love you all more than my luggage! Hugs, smooches and gropes!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

I'm Daddy's girl.. I've said this before... Dancing on Daddy's Big Feet The music is soft, And the music is sweet - twirling and dancing on Daddy's big feet. I slip off my shoes and step up onto his. When his feet turn us around, nothing's better than this. My arm stretches up high as can be To reach for his shoulder - his arm reaches 'round me. And the music is soft, the music is sweet - twirling and dancing on Daddy's big feet. His slippery black shoes shined by my stocking feet glide us 'cross the room on the music's safe beat. He tells me someday another boy will come to hold me this way then his job will be done. But life is never as secure and the music as sweet - waltzin' 'cross the room on Daddy's big feet. ©2005 Judi Moreillon Please scroll down for today's post.. Love you all more than my luggage (but not more than my Daddy!) Hugs, smooches and gropes!

Squirrels you say..

It seems my dear friend Matt-man has issues with frolicking squirrels. Matt-man, this is what they're doing as they frolic in the trees dear. "Hark! What's that I hear? Someone named Matt-man wants my nuts?" "To the rescue!" Foiled... (thank goodness for the defenders of Matt-Man) Revenge will be sweet... In honour of Matt-man and the lurking little creatures taunting him... You know.. they're not ALL bad... Love you all more than my luggage! Hugs, smooches and gropes!

Manic Monday - Survive

Survive There are days when I don’t think I will… There are days when I don’t want to… She isn’t here, Holding my hand Reminding me that so-and-so’s birthday is coming Calling me and ask me ‘What’s new?’ Baking my Father’s birthday cake Mending her granddaughter’s favorite socks Making her infamous chicken and shells soup Giving me advice I didn't ask for. She fought to live To nurture To listen To give To speak To love To breathe To survive… And she does… In my daughter’s giggles In my hands In my father’s memories In my daughter's kindness In my eyes In my father's soul In my heart... and so will I.… Thank you Morgen.… I love you all more than my luggage! Hugs, smooches and gropes!

Wordless Wednesday - Caution

Love you all more than my luggage! Hugs, smooches and gropes!