Category Archives: Family/Friends

Stage Fright

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When I was in elementary school, the school decided to have a fashion show. I don’t know whose bright idea it was but it doesn’t make sense. Why would an elementary school have a fashion show? Beats me. Maybe it wasn’t a fashion show. Maybe my memories aren’t as clear as they used to be.

Anyway, my mom was a fantastic seamstress. No, nothing professional but she made some of the clothes my sisters and I wore. So, she made my sisters and me matching dresses and we were entered in the fashion show!

I was scared shitless being only 10 or 11 years old but I was the lead in this model trio and it was my job to make sure my sisters (ages 6 and 2 approximately) did what they were supposed to do on stage. Ugh. My middle sister did pretty well but the littlest wanted to run around like a banshee. I was petrified! I had to hold her hand and keep her under control while we turned and showed our lovely dresses. We were taught to curtsy when we finished, but I don’t remember my sisters doing it. I was too focused on keeping the littlest sister from running right off the edge of the stage!

At the end of our “performance,” the crowd cheered and at that very moment I was in awe of my mother and her mad sewing skills! My mother actually won that fashion show competition!

I know now or think I know, that it wasn’t so much the dresses that won. That was part of it of course, but it was really the whole package. Not just one dress but three dresses. Not just one model but three models. Unique. Plus watching a little rugrat running around on stage and me trying to keep her from killing herself surely added to the entertainment value!

I have what I thought was a photo of us in those dresses, but the dresses don’t match. Maybe mom didn’t make matching dresses after all. As I said, my memories may not be as clear as they used to be. But here’s that faded photo anyway!

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Merry Christmas, My Friends

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Although today is Christmas Eve, my Christmas is over. Dad and I had ours yesterday with my son and his beautiful family. We had a nice visit and our family’s traditional Christmas Eve with pizza, pizza balls, and popcorn cake. We opened gifts and after a great afternoon, we left.

The only thing missing was our tradition of watching Christmas movies, as we did when my kids were little. The Santa Claus, Trapped In Paradise, Bad Santa, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, and the originals Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas were among our favorites. Of course, the list changed over the years as movies such like Bad Santa were inappropriate for little ones!

It’s been a rough couple of months and it was nice not to worry about a holiday meal or cleaning for guests. I think my days of hosting family get-togethers are over. Last year, I put out a charcuterie board and even that was hard on me. So, I really appreciate my son and his wife having us over this year. No stress, no mess. I wish I could say no pain, but I’ll always have pain to deal with.

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Have a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, my friends. I hope your celebration is filled with peace, love, and laughter!

BAD

Goodbye, Honey Bear

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Honey Bear took her last ride yesterday. I wish I could have made her feel better, even if only for a few days. I couldn’t watch her wither away and suffer.
I was never sure how old Honey was when she came to us in 2017 but our vet at that time said she was under 5 years old. I decided she was about 3 years old, so about 9 this year. It was the evening before my birthday in July of 2017. This is going to sound strange, but I felt that my Fuzz led her to me. I had just lost Fuzz a few months prior. The night before my birthday this year is when she first showed signs of being sickly. A week later, she’s gone.
Thanks, everyone, for the sympathy and condolences. I appreciate all of the moral support through the last week. I am mentally and physically exhausted. It’s hard losing a furry member of the family. Even the other furbabies know there’s something off.
RIP Honey Bear 2017-2023 (1)

Number 7

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Good Morning, Friends!

I am here to report that Grandbaby number 7 has arrived! I’m thrilled to be gramma to another boy, born April 27, 2023. He and mommy are doing well and back home from the hospital. I hear that big brother is thrilled to have a little brother and my son is proud as can be, of course. This baby makes 7 great-grandkids for my dad. He loves kids and it would make him so happy to have them all around him.

The other day I mentioned to someone that I was proud Gramma to 7 littles, and I was “informed” that number 2 is not biologically my granddaughter so she doesn’t count. That’s about as effing ignorant as Marjorie TrailerTrash Green telling a step-mom that she’s not a real mom. It takes more than biology to make a mom. Don’t we say that about men being a father? That it takes more than blood to make a good dad?! Same concept.

Anyway, I informed the person who made this comment to me that I don’t have to explain anything to her but for her information, I accepted number 2 as my granddaughter before I knew she was not my granddaughter by blood. I told her it doesn’t matter to me that my son is no longer with her mother. DNA doesn’t matter. Number 2 is still my granddaughter because of the love and bond that formed between us during the years that my son and her mother were together. DNA doesn’t have a damn thing to do with it! She and I still have a special bond that will never die. She’s still my granddaughter and she calls me Gramma. Nothing else matters.

As for Marjorie TrailerTrash Green, I wish someone would stuff a sock in her mouth to shut her up. She says the most ignorant things! If you don’t agree then you’re not paying attention.

On that note, I’ll close this post. Otherwise, I’ll be ranting for hours. Have a great week, everyone.

aunt-debbie

Stress, Pain, and Loneliness

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I’ve been extremely stressed this past week. I don’t know whether I’m comin’ or goin’, as they say. If you’ve been reading my blog then you know I struggle with pain and mobility issues and that I am looking after my 86 year old Dad. I seriously need a break.

There seems to always be some kind of disagreement, or friction between Dad and I. He always remembers things differently than I do. I’m not sayng he’s always wrong; sometimes he is right. There’s always something he doesn’t understand, or something he forgets, and once in a while he forgets HOW to do something. He’s very unsteady on his feet and he hasn’t fallen in quite some time but I feel like I can’t leave him home alone for longer than it takes me to see my NP for a script renewal. I should get a nanny cam so I can keep an eye on him just so I can go have lunch with a friend once in a while. I can’t even remember the last time I was out without Dad.

Anyway, it wouldn’t be so stressful if I had some help. All of my family is in Tennessee and I am NOT moving to TN! My son is 15 miles from us. Yes, you read that right. He is 15 miles from us and I have not heard from him in just over 2 months. I’ve not seen him since Christmas and he hasn’t even bothered to text me. I know he’s busy with his own family and his own life but it only takes a few seconds to type out a quick “how are you?” once in a while. I don’t think I’ve been this hurt in a long time. Dad asked me if I had texted him in the last couple of months. No, I have not. When I do text the boy, it takes him sometimes days before he responds. Why would I even bother?

It’s a seriously lonely time in my life. Anyone who is responsible for looking after an elderly parent will feel the same way. It is lonely and stressful to carry it all by yourself. God forbid if Dad is ever diagnosed with dementia. He’s not that bad yet. He has his moments but mostly he knows what’s going on and basically takes care of himself. He just needs to be watched and reminded of certain things. I signed on for this but at the time, I had no way of knowing that I would be disabled and struggling myself come show time.

So, what do I do? I bitch a little, cry a little, and then I suck it up. I do what I have to do and in the evenings just to destress I do jigsaw puzzles, diamond paintings, blogging and journaling. I’ve taken on a new hobby: paint-by-number! A friend suggested it and I thought I’d be so clumsy I’d have paint all over the place but so far, so good! I’m thinking of latch hook and embroidery, too! While I do those things to destress, I listen to my audiobooks. I like the fictional detective/police/PI stories the best. I’ve ‘read’ some very entertaining/engrossing stories! It keeps my mind busy with something besides my troubles.

It’s time for me to get moving. It will take me a couple of hours to cook something for lunch (it sucks being disabled) and if I don’t fix something Dad won’t eat. Today on the menu: Chicken Fajita Salad Bowls. Wish me luck and thanks for reading my blog!