Writing Group, Part 3: Slicers Extraordinare

As the BONS gathered in the living room after a fine potluck meal of taco salad, fruit cup, and raspberry creme pie, we were pleasantly surprised by Mary Helen awarding us all trophies for the 21 days of slicing we have accomplished.  Thank you, Mary Helen.

The awards were golden cups emblazoned with the words "Slicer Extraordinaire."  No words could express the warmth and laughter we all shared as we accepted these trophies.   The trophies were so unexpected as is all things are at our monthly meetings.  This was the first time ever, however, that we actually wrote separately/together on our laptops, describing the events on this Night of Slices.

Ruth M.'s eleven-year-old son Sam honored us by photographing our group relishing our prizes.  More laughter!  Thank you, Sam.

We felt that all was worth the hours we spent on creating our slices for the SOLS Challenge of 2012.  On to Day 22!!

For Part IV, go to Booksavors.

A Delicious Day!

I think this is A Delicious Day!

Delicious is the basics:

Finding out it's the First Day of Spring (even though it feels like summer!)

Munching on Emerald's Cocoa Roast Almonds

Taking a walk in March when it's 81 degrees

Writing a slice instead of a writing assignment

Listening to the cardinal's song

Talking with friends

Eating fresh spinach

Drinking a hazelnut cappuccino

Listening to a story CD in the car

Going out to eat for supper

Taking a picture of a blooming cherry tree

Reading a good book

Watching a favorite movie repeatedly throughout your life

Finding everyone you know healthy and safe for the time being


I'm glad I stopped for these few minutes to appreciate the deliciousness in my life.  Maybe I should carry this list with me just in case I forget what is always waiting for me.

I wish you some deliciousness today just in case you're having a hard time finding some.  Look for your basic creature comforts and take just one.  You'll feel better.

Pineapple-Upside-Down Cake

I'm not giving you directions for a cake, but a recipe for pineapple-upside-down cake appeared on the Allrecipe page for today, and it reminded me of my mother Lillian and part of something I wrote the year she died.  Sometimes you have to be reminded of the good times. 

As a child, you were my shining light

With your long, dark hair that curled around.

"She's so pretty," the kids said in my 2nd grade class

When you came to visit,

Bringing along with you your big, bright, red-lipstick smile.

When I broke the new lamp

And hid under the bed all day,

I hoped you wouldn't be mad at me,

But instead you said, "I never did like that lamp anyway."

Remember the walks to and from the State and Palace theatres on Saturday night?

Sometimes you treated us to hamburgers, fries, and a cherry Coke, and

We stopped at Walgreen's to get the 3 for 25 cents candy bars--

me with black licorice or Dots.

Afterwards, we always walked home under the stars, and

I silently prayed we'd make it safely home past dark Buffington Park.

Your best fare was breakfast every morning before school--

French toast, oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, or a poached egg.

Then came some Sundays with your fried chicken, coleslaw, and mashed potatoes.

Pineapple-upside-down cake was your favorite homemade dessert.

When I became a mother myself, you were there

To help me with my first, second, and third,

Letting me feel all was okay, helping me make up my new routine.

I finally felt safe in motherhood.

I use to think the good times were going to a party, a wedding, a vacation,

Having a new outfit, or another bracelet.

Then I discovered too late that

It was the small things.

Those were the good times.

Why couldn't we have had more of the small things?

Ahead of Its Time

 As I raked the leaves from my herb garden, I just felt like I was disobeying every rule in the garden rule book.  You don't remove ground cover in your gardens until the last frost which could come as late as May 10.  It's March for goodness sake--what am I doing? 

It's been in the 70's for over a week, and this week is going to be in the low 80's, eventually going down to the 50's and 60's next week.  I thought at first I would just wait it out to at least the end of April.  However, plants are up, daffodils are blooming, tulips budding, and tree buds are opening.  Plants have actually pushed the leaves away and are above and beyond the leaf layer.  I caved. 

If it freezes, or we get that spring snow storm, I will be moaning and possibly trying to cover some plants, but I worry about the trees and their leaves the most.  I would hate to go through a summer without those leafy, green, beautiful, shady trees. 

Time will tell.

"That Lovin' Feeling"

At different times, I like different kinds of music.  I can go orchestral, choir, classical, new age, oldies, and classic rock to name a few.  Heavy metal and rap are not for me and never will be. 

I don't really listen to music unless I'm really cleaning house, it's summer, or I'm in my car when I'm not listening to a story CD.  There's something about summer and my car especially with the sixties music. 

When I'm alone in my car listening to the 60's, I am at one with the road, have the beat, and feel energized.  "Ooh, Baby, it's true."  (Can't find the song or artist I owe this line to???)

I have so many favorite songs and favorite groups of the 60's.  Creedence Clearwater Revival's rendition of "Green River" and "Proud Mary" "keep me rollin', rollin' on the river."

While I'm driving, "My Girl" by the Temptations "Gives me sunshine on a cloudy day."

"I Can't Help Myself, Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch" by the Four Tops is when I'm loving the driving.

Then there was "The Sounds of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel when I'm "approaching streets of cobblestone."

And "Don't carry the world upon your shoulders" by listening to "Hey, Jude" by The Beatles.

These are just a few of my favorites.  What is really fascinating is that this music is still played and enjoyed today by people of all ages. 

These were the songs of my youth, and they do "bring back that lovin' feeling."  ("You've Lost That Loving Feeling" by The Righteous Brothers)

Some Quirkiness

I think I'm in a Friday kind of mood--ready for a little variety, frivolity, and quirkiness.   So, as I ended my day of shopping today, I decided to write about what was on my mind as I shopped at Kohl's.

It's that time of year again--finding that perfect summer purse.  Some poeple love to buy shoes. I like to buy purses.  Since I've always had wide feet, most shoe choices were never there for me.  I had to get what was available, but as I got older, there were more choices, but buying shoes just never was in my world.  Purses are a different story.

But first, have you seen the latest price in purses?  I have limits, and the purses I could get last year are now $20 more in price!!!  I'm going to have to really love a purse to spend more on it now.

I love certain colors in certain things.  For one example, my cars are red because I think cars should be red.  Don't ask me why I think that, I just do.  Purses should be any shade of red, bright green, yellow, or tan.  If you're going to get a black purse, it should be for evening wear only.  Every day black is boring and so is brown and blue.  White is out of the question because it gets too dirty too quickly!!  Grey is not even considered.  Quirky!!

I bought a gold purse last fall--different for me, but it was a muted gold and was a good winter color.  Oh, and most earrings should be gold tone.  When I think of jewelry, I think of the Egyptians, thus gold.  Sense?  I don't know.  It's just the quirk in me.  My release is in my quirkiness, I guess.  I'm beginning to feel the frivolity stirring in my brain creating just a chuckle. 

Back to the purse.  Let's face it.  I've been looking for purses a mighty long time, and I really know what works for me!!!  I'm really looking for a soft red or tan with some flair.  I haven't found one yet.  After I get the right color and the right flair, it will have to have one short handle--I'm short.  I should have one main compartment with side pockets--I get lost no matter what if a purse has more than one section.  The lining should be light, so it's easier to see inside my purse no matter what the lighting.  There can be side pockets outside, however.  I probably won't use them much if there are more than one side pocket--confusion!!

I've been looking for a new purse for about a month and am having no luck.  Does this mean my standards are too high?  Does it mean I'm cheap because I won't consider going up $20 from last year?  Does it mean I will have to use the yellow purse I bought last year that I had to continually clean because of its light color?  Oh, what started as quirkiness and fun is now weighing on my mind.  I think I'm back.

Enough for one Friday night of silliness, and we're half through the month of this March Madness!!

The Ides of March

Every March 15, the phrase "Beware the Ides of March" comes to my mind.   Really, it's not a joke.  It's a remembrance of something/someone dear to my heart, and it's not Shakespeare or Julius Caesar!

 

If you're a Shakespearean or historical buff, you would know the importance of these words.  In Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar," these were the words of a seer forecasting something bad was going to happen to Julius Caesar, dictator of the Roman Republic, on or by this date.  Historically, Caesar was stabbed on March 15 in the year 44 B.C. 

 

To further educate, the Ides were a reference point for counting in the Roman calendar.  March, May, July, and October all had Ides on the 15th, and all the other months had their Ides on the 13th. The other reference points were called the Kalends and the Nones.  This calendar followed into the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. (info please and Wikipedia) 

Now I will introduce you to Mr. DeLeurere (I hope I remembered to spell his name correctly.).  He was my French and Latin teacher from 7th to 12th grade.  I was in a trial class of 10 who were able to take a foreign language when in 7th grade.  French was the only language being offered in 7th and 8th grade.  I took French all the way through high school.  Since I was planning on becoming a nurse, it was noted in high school that Latin would also help me in the medical field.  And what choices did women have in those days?--teacher, nurse, bank teller, and wife?!

Mr. DeLeurere taught ten of us how to grow up in 7th grade.  The minute he walked into our French class, he spoke French only.  He meant business and didn't tolerate any  funny business although he had his own very cryptic sense of humor.  We assumed he told jokes when he paused and smiled.  That was a great class, and we felt very special.

In high school, Latin class was taken by anyone who was going to attend college.  I took Latin all the way up until my senior year which was Latin IV because I loved it.  We all really enjoyed the tall, professor-looking, stern Mr. DeLeurere although we didn't admit to it.  He was a man ahead of his times.  He not only taught us Latin but taught us about the history, art, and culture of the Greeks and Romans and our own lives.  We performed plays in the classroom, and if we didn't get into it, he would show us how to perform as if we were on stage.  At Christmas time, we held a Saturnalia--a Roman festival with hard-boiled eggs, grapes, and togas and more plays!!!    We traveled to Latin contests out of town to see what we really knew compared to others.  We were a great group.  I made the best friends in Latin class, and hard work paid off.

I never saw Mr. DeLeurere again after high school, but he remained in my thoughts and on my lists of gratefulness.   He taught me maturity, responsibility, appreciation of the arts, love of words, and the joy of education.  And he was just one of the best I had in high school.  Thank you, God, for teachers!