How the Grinch Stole My Family

My daughter was in town. My parents, my son, my daughter, Mr. CFP and I would have Thanksgiving dinner together. Beforehand, I wanted to find something fun to share. But what??? My dad will turn 90 in May. His mind and body have changed so much... he would not be able to participate in any games or activities. What to do???

I remembered a video that a family friend made of me, my son and my daughter when I was a single parent - when Mr. CFP was merely a dream in my mind, a glimmer of hope in my heart... (wait until he reads THAT!) I looked and looked for that video of my kids singing Silver Bells with accompanying gurgling. One young'un would sing while the other gurgled water -

Silver bells glug glug glug.
Silver bells glug glug glug.
It's Christmas time in the city. glug glug glug glug.


Can't you just hear it?

Great stuff, huh?



I couldn't find that video.

But I did find the video of Christmas 1991 - it was great entertainment!

We were all so young back then! Young Man Peace did some good boogeying (Michael Jackson must have been learned from him) and Young Lady Peace was her usual cute self.

My dad was... how do I say it? My dad was a different person from what he is now. He was my dad. I mean, he is still my dad, but there is somewhat of a role reversal now. I am now the one who knows how to find my way in the world and who can help him.

I had FORGOTTEN what my dad used to be like. I've been so much in the present, accepting who is here right now, that I had forgotten how things used to be. He used to be the person I called for advice when things broke. He was the man who could fix anything. In a sense, that man in the video is gone.

But the Young Peace-ettes are gone, too. They are both adults now, living on their own. Sometimes I even forget what they used to be like. (Hell, I always forget what I used to be like!)

When I think about it, it's actually humorous that we ever think we can define anyone. We're all, it's all, always changing.

Who are you again???

Letting Go

Too much going on. I have not been thinking about blogging and I haven't had the time nor the energy to visit many blogs, either. Sometimes I just have to do the minimal to get by in order to not feel like I'll burn up in spontaneous combustion.

Things are fine. Things are beautiful. There's just a lot going on right now. I only work 2 days a week (OK. 2 1/2 during times like these) but it feels like I'm working full time. Probably, if I listed all that I was doing, it wouldn't sound like so much, but for some reason, it feels like I'm just this side of more than I can handle. I'm watery, crying easily, which is not common for me. I'm tired. It's hard, but it's good. A spring cleanse? Like the snowmelt that causes the creeks around here to flow with such intensity and beauty that I feel renewed just standing by them?

I'm willing to see where the waters take me. Maybe beavers have built a dam and the creek will have carved new pathways in order to reach its destination. I'm interested in taking in the sights along the way.

Me and the Buddha dog hunting owls

Oh, Happy Mother's Day to everyone - to the women who have birthed sons and daughters and to everyone else who has created something that contributes to life. Happy Mother's Day for those whose labors bring peace.

From Julia Ward Howe's call to create an international Mother's Day celebrating peace and motherhood:

Arise, then, women of this day!
Arise all women who have hearts,
Whether your baptism be that of water or of tears
Say firmly:

"We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands shall not come to us reeking of carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of
charity, mercy and patience.

"We women of one country
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."