A Lesson in Love

my sister in law, i was told before i saw her yesterday, has pink hair.    It's really just one pink stripe and then pink fringes on the back.  She has blond hair and the pink really stands out, nicely.

What would make a grown woman, who isn't into any rocker scene, who isn't a teen trying to express 'herself' do such a thing?  i mean she's a respected woman in the community, is known is many church circles, leads youth with my brother, is involved in plays and musical, has given birth to the two cutest girls in the whole wide world, sells Arbonne, is gorgeous ..so..um..why?  why?????

Well, it's rather simple.  Everytime she goes to get her hair done (coloured, cut, etc) her daughter, the darling three-year old, says "What colour are you going to get your hair done, Mom?" and my sister in law says blonde...as always.  "What colour do you think i should get my hair, E?" and the darling three year old says "Pink!"

So this time, because she is the coolest Mom in the whole wide world and loves her family and is even willing to do something crazy, just for fun with her three year old she now is sporting a bit of pink hair.

Sometimes love comes in all colours

 

Even pink!

What is Happiness?

Happiness is sitting at the breakfast table with my entire family, all talking at once and laughing and short sentences of "Please pass the Scrapple"  and ""BACON!" and "Who wants pancakes" and "Here's more orange juice" (it was really grape...and that alone produced gales of laughter), and funny stories and sweet fellowship.

Happiness is lying under a tree in the front yard with my 9 month old neice and 17 yr old sister and just enjoying the summer morning.  The baby saying 'Da-Da-Da' and the stories shared with my sister about when SHE was a baby..

Happieness is sitting on a bench under the Wheeping Willow Tree and being told by my 3 yr old neice that she was the Mom and i was the Dad and that a badmitten birdie was the remote control and that we were going to watch "Gilmore Girls" on the pretend TV high in the tree.

Happiness is seeing my sister and sister in law doing dishes and knowing that i didn't have to (HA!)

Happiness is the chaos and confusion, the love and laughter, the joy and hugs and sweet 3 yr old kisses and the golden curls bouncing as she runs outside (she's from Florida and cannot go barefooted outside..when she's at Grandma's here in Pennsylvania, she hardly ever has shoes on!), and baby slobber and a soft head tucked under my chin and little boys laughing and playing ball and the men each on their own laptops while sitting in the same room and X-box tournaments and Parcheesi and puzzles and TONS of food.

i'm all filled up with happiness, and it's only the first day they've been here.

 

Tea

Some of my female co-workers and i just enjoyed 45 min of tea.

We all commented that we should 'do this more often' as it brings us all out of our offices and away from our computers and allows us to connect as women around delicious sweets and a steaming cup of tea.

What is it about having tea that de-stresses one?  i've read somewhere that the simple act or routine of making the tea is what does it, and the hot liquid soothing the stress out of one's throat, not to mention the cookies or tea cakes or scones that delight one's pallette and stomach alike.

Perhaps it's that, in fact, i would embrace that it is, but i also think that there is in us all - even in the craziness of a career and family and other responsibilties - the desire to have the freedom to stop and enjoy tea with other women in the middle of the morning.

Many women, if not all, enjoy things of beauty.  Most of us are too busy to stop and delight in the simple beauties of our life.  But the delicate clatter of a china tea cup against it's saucer, the feel of pressed linen napkins against our skin combined with the delightful tastes and smells of the food and tea calls us to something greater. Something more feminine, softer.  Calls us to laughter and shared stories; celebrations and times of bonding together; calls us to stop trying to rule the world for just a moment and breathe.

 

Weekend Ramblings

Have you ever had online friends, perhaps some whom you've never met in real time, disappear and you wonder where they went, or if they are ok, or why they just 'left'?

i have a few like that - perhaps that's the ebb and flow of online - but still they have left an impression on my life and they are missed.

So to just a few of them i say,

Trip:  girl, i miss you like mad.  i think you and i were both duped by the famous Irishman or part of his twisted mind, but you are one person who made me laugh out loud for real. i hope everything is ok with you and that your life, whether here or in Tunis is exactly what you want it to be.

John Thankfully i printed out some of our past (three years ago?) IMs - so i have your 'voice' still to see from time to time.  i hope you are ok..truly.  i miss you.  Sometimes i think about the $5 exchange and if i would've actually be able to go through with it.  i think so.  i know what it would've meant and i think ..well, enough said!

Mark:  Did you sail off into the wild blue yonder?  i think hope all is well.  Stairs?  Lunch break?  i miss you...really really miss you.  i hope, though, that wherever you are and whatever you set your hand to do, that it brings you great joy and happiness and fulfillment.  You will never be forgotten.

Blackwolf:  we never did get to dance.  Those were the days, no?  Always asking.  You always saying 'no' - it was expected - everyone knew it - and it was fun.  i hope you are safe and happy and well.

Margie:  Girl, i have NO idea where you went...but i hope you are surrounded by good things, that you are happy in what you're doing, that you have love and life and lots and lots of pastry around you.  i STILL comment on those pretty marzipan fruits and such that you sent (and i ate every single one of them...oh wait, no i didn't ..i DID share..reluctantly!)  i miss the laughter and the fun and hearing about your boytoys. 

There are others - some have passed away andtheir death saddened us all.  Some have chosen to 'leave' aol and their presence is missed.  Some just have moved on, forming new friendships and enriching their lives in other ways.  All are thought of fondly.  All have left their mark on my heart. 

How do i sound?

What American accent do you have?

Your Result: Philadelphia

Your accent is as Philadelphian as a cheesesteak! If you're not from Philadelphia, then you're from someplace near there like south Jersey, Baltimore, or Wilmington. if you've ever journeyed to some far off place where people don't know that Philly has an accent, someone may have thought you talked a little weird even though they didn't have a clue what accent it was they heard.

More Reading

Continuing my reading schedule,

Adam Bede

Grace in Thine Eyes

Post Captaiin

Cyrano de Bergerac

Lolita

A Thousand Splendid Suns (which i began last night and just finished - a powerful, powerful book)

i have some books of the 'self-help' variety to read - one helping me to find purpose and some direction in my life and one that helps me to understand others. 

What are you reading?

Birthday? bah humbug!

It's my birthday and i'll cry if i want to...

erm...i'm not crying but i'm not celebrating either.  i think i'll celebrate when i turn 40.  Of course, that not for another 19 yrs but...ahem....