For My Husband

 On Our 2015 Cruise 

Jamaica, Montego Bay and Cozumel

I've been looking thru pictures of my late husband. Yellow tea roses were our thing since the day he took me to his Senior Prom oh so long ago. I had yellw rosebuds sewn on my wedding dress by a cousin and I carried yellow flowers in my wedding bouquet. I know the picture doesn't really go with the sentiment, I just like the picture.

   

For My Husband

Roses are yellow

 And violets are blue

I get all mellow

Whenever I think of You!

I miss you babe, 

Until next time friends,

Be Happy, Be Safe and Be Well, 

Teresa aka Tess

Happy Valentines Day

If you are looking for my OWOH post please click here or scroll down.

Valentines Day is not just for lovers,

It's a beautiful day to come out from the covers;

With a smile on your face and joy in its place,

Deep within your heart where love never parts;

With a song on your lips,

Please follow these tips,

And have a wonderful valentines day.

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Be Safe,

Tess

image from wikipedia

Happy Saturday Everybody,

Something funny happened today. Shall I tell you about it? Ok, you talked me into it. But first I have a question for you:

Who remembers the Love is... comic from the 60's and 70's? I loved that back then they were in black and white. I did an online search and found several sites showing this comic. I think the little cherub looking couple are so cute. I used to cut out the Love is... from our newspaper everyday when I was a pre-teen and teen. (Too bad I no longer have that scrapbook.) There is a page on wikipedia.com that tells all about the Love is... comic and it's creator(s).



I have a Love is... to add to the collection. We were doing some house cleaning today and while I was cleaning in the bathroom the toilet seat came off. It's not more that a month old. One of those nice cushy seats from Walmart. So I'm muttering about how cheap it is and muttering a few not so nice words while cleaning the toilet. (Potty mouth sounds appropriate here.) In the meantime hubby pops his head in to see what all the mumbling is about and says he can fix it. He pops out and I continue cleaning. I go to lower the seat lid and it pops off in my hand. Now I'm yelling "I give up". Ok, so this sounds like I was getting angry, right? On the contrary I began to laugh my fool head off as did he. He mentions changing and going OUT into the HEAT to go to WalMart to get a new toilet seat. Ugh!! Heat!! I tell him it can wait until tomorrow. "But of course ", I tell him, "we'll have to be careful we don't slide off the pot". So I continue to clean in the bathroom and he pops his head in dressed to leave the house. "I'll go get a new toilet seat", he says. "Anything else you can think of we need?" he says. Aww!!!


Love is...going out into the summer heat to buy a new toilet seat
because your wife broke it while cleaning.

Wasn't he a sweetie!!


Oh, but that is not the end of this story. Ohhh no!! So hubby turns around and I bust up laughing. There are two butterflies on his butt. Yep, you read right. How else am I suppose to cover holes in my denim shorts?! I was laughing so hard and he's asking what?! I was so So SO tempted not to tell him.
So here is another Love is:


Love is....telling your hubby that he has butterflies on his butt. LMAO!!!

Yes, he changed immediately...
One things for sure there is plenty of drama and unexpected oops's around here to keep things interesting!!

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Be Safe,
Tess

P.S. I found a Kim Grove (creator) Love is... paperback on Amazon. ;-)


Trivia quiz: Which film made the quote "Love means never having to say your sorry" famous?

Wordless Wednesday - Hippy Love!!

February 17th, 2009 - One Year Ago Today

Today is February 17th, 2010.

I've been thinking about today, realizing that it is a very special day, for some time now. One year ago today my oldest daughter, Bobbie, had a brain tumor removed. It was one of the longest days of my life. So many fears in both of us, all of us. So many complications that could have come of it.

One possibility was that she would have severe permanent memory loss. This had not happened. She has mild blanks in the past few years and wonders how her daughter grew up so fast but other than that she woke knowing who we all were that day. (This was my greatest fear I think, besides death,

her not recognizing me.)

Another possibility was seizures. She is on an anti-seizure med and was told she would be for a minimum of one year and they would see about it after that. This may be a med she will have to be on for her entire life. At this point we still don't know. I'm happy to report she has not had one seizure the entire year. At least not one that we know of. WooHoo!

Another possibility was paralysis on one side. The day of the surgery and most of the day after this looked possible. But then she moved a toe and her stubbornness was still intact and she moved the leg, then the next day the hand started twitching. She now has weakness on the left side but is not paralyzed. She has to be careful on bad days how she steps or what she attempts to lift but other than that she is mobile and usually without her cane.

Bobbie still has a few obstacles to overcome or keep in check but she's doing wonderful. Her weight is down and she has that thick head full of hair back. Her diabetes is under control and she seems happy. She even seems to be able to know when her panic attacks are coming on better now and will warn the person she is with or just head home quick. If you suffer from an anxiety disorder (Bobbie is still bi-polar, but it is under better control) you know how scary this can be. She is hearing her bodies signals now. I think before there was so much going on in her head she couldn't concentrate long enough to understand the suttle signals the body will give us to let us know we are about to hit that panic button inside ourselves.

What a blessing God gave us through all of the many folks that prayed for Bobbie and through the surgeons hands. I thank you all and our Great Lord in Heaven every day.

I've been home sick and even sick I cannot just sit and one can only sleep so much. Especially with me taking prednisone, it wires me out. Like a mega dose of caffeine. (I'm so sweaty I bet I stink, and that's 10 minutes after a shower.)

OK so for the past few days with the approaching date I've been doodling in my journal. Journaling or journal doodling is a quiet activity which is what I needed and the word chaos kept coming to mind. Then the words noise, voices, sounds, headaches, fear, confusion and more. All of the many things that Bobbie was able to finally express to us that was going on in her head. She was living in chaos inside her mind and around her. I spied a bracelet that Bobbie had made me on my dresser vanity and the journal page came together nicely, as did the idea for this post.

Here I share the journal page, it is a 2 page layout:

I am not sure if this center doodle is a butterfly or a heart. It may be both.

Here is a close up of the left side:

And here is a closeup of the right side:

Bobbie at one point decided to try her hand at making jewelry. I believe that the tumor was already growing at this time of her life. She was already displaying weird signs, behavior, activity (falling down, always sleeping, fleeing, paranoid, dropping things, etc.) that later we learned were effects of where the tumor was (right frontal lobe). Bobbie knows that I like pearls. As a child wearing pearls made me feel grown up and as an adult they make me feel classy. She also knows I like mother of pearl with silver. Mother of pearl has such an iridescent quality. It is white, yet not completely just white. I love it, sometimes I think even better than pearls.

Bobbie made the following bracelet with a brain tumor in her head:

It will always be a special piece of my girl for me. Knowing that even when chaos was going on inside her mind she loved her mom enough to know what to make for me that would be special to me. I love this bracelet and I love that she made it just for me.

Happy Day Bobbie, Congrats on one year proving them wrong. They thought you'd have that seizure or seizures, you didn't. You've done good taking your medicines and on time. You've done good getting to know your little girl all over again. Keep it up honey. Don't worry about those things, those days, that you don't quite remember fully and just live in the moment for this day and the next. Give her the precious time you have now to make new and better memories. Help her build better memories of mommy so that the scary ones when you were so sick will gently slip away to fun and fantastic memories of her mommy spending time with her and loving her with all her might. Momma loves you sweetie, always have (even through the rough times) and always will.

Thank you all, my blogger friends, for listening and sharing in this glorious day with us. Today I am reminded that

This is the day that the Lord has made,

Be glad and Rejoice in it.

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Be Yourself,

Tess

Happy Anniversary To Us

Greetings friends,

Today is my 20th wedding anniversary. Have I ever told you our story? It is not unlike others and yet somewhat different/special. It is a story of love found, lost and found again. I fell for my beloved when I was but the tender age of 12. I spied him from behind a bush, the guy next door. I loved his crazy curly hair and Elvis sideburns. And his eyes, I could melt in those blue eyes. I, the little girl next door was noticed, although I didn't really know it then. I had my jr. high friends and he his sr. high friends. He was forever the gentleman. Always sweet, always kind, always mindful of my age. I was a tease, a flirt. So bad, now that I think of it. What he tolerated, poor boy. But even so I blushed as he chased me around the dinning room table for that lucky midnight kiss for the new year of '74. He taught me how to swim and how to skate backwards. He took me on my first car date and to his Senior prom. The only prom I would get. He was my idea of the night in shining armor. I decided I'd grow up and marry him someday.

But, as does sometimes happen life got in the way. He went off to college, left me behind to finish growing up. And then my parents separated. I was taken away from family, from home, from him by a cad of a father. Life was not as it should have been. It was not ideal, it was harsh and cruel. I cried often wondering if he ever thought of me as I did of him. Over time we get on with our lives, especially at such a tender age. I learned to be a survivor. He finished college, followed his favorite bands overseas, became a sailmaker then returned home. I too returned 13 years and two children later. You don't forget old friends, especially the adults that were a good influence on you. I visited his mother often. She had cancer, had surgery, was doing fine. We'd visit over coffee now and then; in the same kitchen I remembered so well. Then one day, she tells me not to leave, he'll be home soon. He'll be home soon? For months I had been visiting and thought he was still back East. He was there all along, he'd come home to his ill mother. Was here in town all along. He did not look anything like I had remembered. I didn't recognize him at all when he came through the door. I admit it. We spoke, I felt it was awkward. Then his dog dies and he stops ion on a cold wintry night to tell me he;d held his dutchess in his arms and she's dies. I didn't even have a hot drink to offer him. He settled for a warm hug. Long story short we seen each other again, and again, and again, until one day I realized I had fallen in love with him all over again. The new him, the now him, not just the memory. He knows me, he knows my story and he loves me and it's all good. I would not give these past 20 years back for anything. They have not been all fun and games but then life is not that way. But we have traveled these 20 years together side by side. He is my friend, he gives me unconditional love. This was/is his promise to me:

A friend is one

who knows you

as you are

understands where

you've been

accepts who you've

become

and still gently

invites you to grow.

~~~

Happy Anniversary Honey, I Love You!

~~~

And to all my blog friends,

Be happy, Be healthy, Be yourself,

Tess

Today's Message is:

Life is short,

Break the rules,
Forgive quickly,

Kiss slowly,

Love truly,

Laugh uncontrollably,

And
never regret anything that made you smile...

******

OK, I admit it. I got this from a forwarded

e-mail. But I thought the message was well worth repeating.

Today is Wednesday, hmmm, humpday.

So have a great day cuz' the weeks half over.

(That could be good or bad depending on your to-do list. Take it as good, ok.)

Tess

The Kreativ Blogger Award

As I mentioned in my last post Peggy Gatto has bestowed upon me this wonderful award.

I am honored and humbled to know that someone would think I am a Kreativ Blogger. Wow!

So now to the fun, here are the rules as taken from Susie's 1st floor flat blog (she gave the award to Peggy):

The Rules:
List 7 things that you LOVE.
Link to the person who has tagged you.
Choose 7 more bloggers to give the Kreativ Blogger Award to.
Comment on those 7 blogs to let the recipients know you chose them.

The 7 things that I love are:
1. My husband, who was my love when I was still but a child. The one who never betrayed my trust and remembered that even if I didn't look like it I was still a child. The man whom found me (or did I find him) and renewed that love as an adult and married me with my troubles and all. I love you honey.

2. My daughters, two young ladies who have seen awful things with mom and still survived. One who was raised by a mother who was also still a child and yet still today calls me mommy and has forgiven my faults. And one who has grown to become miss independent but still remembers mom needs to hear her sweet voice now and then. I love you my daughters.

3. My family, a large extended group of people. Mother, siblings, Aunts, Uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and an honery and lovable granddaughter. These people that I can be apart from for days and weeks and months on end and then sit down to chat with as if we had just seen each other yesterday. Yes, blood is thicker than water and I love them all; even the ones that tend to get under my skin.

4. I love the smell of fresh cut grass, always have. There is no smell as inviting to me than the scent of freshly mowed grass in the air. Even now with allergies and asthma affecting my senses I still enjoy that wonderful scent even through watery eyes.

5. I love how my husband smells after he has grilled our supper. That smokey, charcoal scent of an open fire or even when he's cooked over the gas grill. There is just something about that wonderful scent that increases my appetite. And I love the smell of the big camp fires at Boy Scout camps too.

6. I love poetry. The mixing of words to create images in the readers mind has always intrigued me. Reading poetry, writing poetry, there is no better companion when one is ill or hurting. No better therapist when one is trying to figure out an inner haunting.

7. I love the Internet and all of the wonderful blogs I have found. Believe it or not there was a time I argued the point about getting a home computer or the Internet. "We don't need that". "It'll cost too much." Bah!! Now I have seen places I had never imagined existed. I have found poetry and art and museums so wonderful and magical. I have made friends in India and Australia, Canada and Finland. And Hawaii, oh I mustn't forget Hawaii. And here I found wonderful souls willing to pray for my Bobbie, for me, and offer me strength in the form of words of encouragement. I love this thing they call the Internet.

And now for some blogs I believe deserve the Kreative Blogger Award also:

1. Mamta over at glimpes of me is a new friend I met at poetrydances. She is one of my favorite poets and I love reading her posts. I am sure you will too.

2. And then of course there is the wonderful arteology blog. I believe I found Jamie through this years OWOH event. She is such a sweetheart and I love all of the vintage pics she finds. She must have helped create Photo Shop because she sure knows how to use it. :) Her wonderful images never fail to make me smile.

3. Misty Mawn definitely deserves the Kreativ Blogger Award. It was Misty's January Journal challenge that really got me to experimenting more with paper, crayons, paints, fabric and learning how to just play and not worry about what others might think. She wears her emotions on her sleeve and if she's having a down time she just says so. I think she gave me the courage to be able to send out a prayer request for Bobbie. Misty's art is so inspirational to me. I love it and how she mixes words, thoughts and quotes into the mix.

4. And if you haven't yet you really must visit the evolution of nancy. Nancy is an exceptional blogger, mixed media artist and photographer. She is another blogger I found through the OWOH event I believe. She always has such interesting content on her blog and often tells the stories behind the photographs or artwork. (She also sent me a surprise gift by snail mail. I'll be blogging about it later this week.)

5. It's Turquoise Cro Thyme. I like making collages and I like seeing what others do with the art of collage. This blogger has some really fun and interesting collage ideas and I love seeing what she has come up with next.

6. Aimslee of the Paper Paisleys blog is so talented and comical. I love visiting her blog as I'm always guaranteed a good laugh or just a feel good smile will come over me.

7. vol.25 is one of the first blogs I figured out how to follow. Jessi is so very creative. She is a stay at home mom to cute Trinity and Journey and she sells her wonderful drawings and such in her etsy shop. I own an original she made of an idea I offered to her. A wonderful car with a wonderful quote.

I could blog about so many more wonderful bloggers out there that I follow; like Lori and Diane and Jude and Nina and, and, and. There is never a lack of creativity among my online friends. Painters, crafters, sewers, bloggers, poets, sculptors, photographers and so much more. I found some of these people by following links on comments on other peoples blogs. It's fun and a great learning experience, following blogs. Now go say hi to all of these fine bloggers and find some new ones to follow too. If you're feeling blue you just might cheer up and if you're feeling sunny you just might cheer someone else up. Go ahead, browse around, you know you want to! :)

Bye for now,

Tess

Bobbie is Out of ICU

Please read an update on Bobbie at my AC site posted Feb. 20th first if you haven't yet here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1496189/update_on_bobbie_post_surgery.html?cat=5

Then see the photo update of my granddaughters first visit to see mommy since the surgery (below). The visit went well. Bobbie is out of ICU and in her own room.
Raven wasn't shocked at all to see her mommy without hair. We prepared her by showing previously taken pictures.

Bobbie has missed her little girl and so enjoyed her visit even though it really tired her out.


Gifts for Bobbie to brighten her room. The bear is a Ty Bear named The Beginning. We thought the name was perfect and so did Bobbie.

Bobbie gives a smile for all of the wonderful prayers, thoughts and words of encouragement she has received from family and friends here and in blog land. The black eye just appeared a few days ago as well as swelling and bruising on the right side of face. We are told this is normal.



The sun setting on a beautiful day.

Bobbie can walk, talk, use the bathroom and feed herself. Praise God!!

She still has trouble with some paralysis of the left hand and arm but can move it and is working with occupational therapy to strengthen it. This morning she said she fed herself breakfast and didn't even have to change her gown afterwards. She has stated she had no idea using a spoon could be so hard. She now understands what babies learning to use utensils must go through when we adults are impatient with them. I told her to take all the time she needs to master that arm/hand. Her walking is somewhat slow but she is gaining speed daily.

Thank You all for your wonderful gift of prayers and encouragement for us.

Flowers from her sister.

Please continue to pray for Bobbie's swift recovery............

January's Journal Challenge Day 2

Milton J. "Mick" Holman


Starting the new year off with a funeral could be considered a bad omen, but then maybe not. When someone struggles just to breath an ending can be a new beginning for all involved. My step dad's funeral was today. Well he "was" my step dad. Mom and Mick were married for 10 years. They helped each other finish raising their youngest children. Mick was a widower with a handicapped child and mom a divorcee with three children at home. My youngest brother and sister never really knew their father, which was good but that's another story. Mick became their dad, he earned their respect and loyalty. He was there for them through their preteen and teen years when they needed him most I think. My mother needed him too, they needed each other. Then one day mom just left. He helped her and they remained friends. We all kept in touch. Just because they divorced didn't mean our feelings changed, he was still "dad" to my siblings. Over the years life got more complicated, more involved, for all of us. There were graduations and marriages and more children born into the families. Sometimes in divorce the "steps" are no longer considered family by some. Mick wasn't like that. He attended weddings and graduations and sent or called with well wishes. He was always willing to lend an ear or a hand to mom, me or my siblings. I loved seeing him and his youngest son at the store or out on the lawn when I drove by. He may have been handicapped and at times unruly, but Kevin was also a sweetheart and quick to give a mighty hug and a great big smile.



The obituary made no mention of a second wife or stepchildren. It hurt...I was surprised at how much it hurt. Not being acknowledged, them, my mom and siblings, not being acknowledged at all. As if those ten years and time since had never happened. When you've known someone for so long and come to grow to call him "dad" and proudly, well sometimes steps can become more than just friends. I sat with a group of my family (mom, brothers, aunts) at the funeral. We all knew Mick would want us to come and say goodbye. I only got to know him the last couple years of their marriage before they divorced. This kind and generous man took me and my girls into his home at a time when we were distraught. I must admit it, I had a breakdown, so many nightmares, those girls were so scared even of their mommy. He knew there were hurts to heal and a lot of adjustments to be made. He knew and he said welcome home. He called my youngest, the shy scared one, Peanut. He teased her and comforted her and showered her with love. He made her feel at ease with family she'd never known before, he made her feel at home.

And now he's gone home....As Kevin said, "He's with mommy now." Goodbye "DAD" - Till we meet again and just incase I hadn't said it often enough, thank you for everything. You will be missed.................

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today was also my youngest daughter's birthday, Happy Birthday Honey, I Love You!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And one last thing. I challenge you this year to reconnect with those loved ones that you've not had time for lately. The "steps" and the distant relatives, the greats and the great-greats. The nieces and nephews that grew up knowing you as an Aunt or Uncle. If divorce has separated the family remember you divorced your spouse, not necessarily the whole family. Call them and tell them how much they mean to you, hug them, love them, NOW, before it is too late!

A New Kitten

Good Morning All,
We have a new kitten in our household and she has sure stirred up things a bit here. We are already proud keepers of two furry felines Sierra and Sasha. We now have Frankie with us. She is almost 6 months old, white with some gray and the cutest tail. It looks like a raccoons tail with the circular stripes. Oh and she has the most beautiful blue eyes. She is too be mine as Sasha is definitely Chuck's and Sierra favors whomever she pleases at the time. So far Frankie has been content to sit with me in the evenings, somewhat out of fear I think. Sasha has been hissing and growling at her for better part of a week. I'm happy to report they are now occupying the same room without a lot of noise going on and Frankie is investigating her new surroundings more. I've written all about our furry friends on Associated Content, I hope you'll have a look (click on the title of this post and the article will open in a new wondow.) There are more pictures there too.
Have a great day,
Tess

My Grandmothers Hands

I've been missing my grandmothers lately. Sadly they are all deceased. But I remember them well. I found a photo on wikimedia by Ilona Eggers that is the way I picture my grandmothers hands; rough, calloused and wrinkled. I altared it a bit to make it fit more into how I wanted it to appear here. (Wikimedia is great for copyright free images.)

I wrote this poem one day while thinking of one of my grandmothers.

***

My Grandmothers Hands

Those hands were often rough and calloused

From digging in her garden.

Those hands were working hands.

They kneaded dough to make us bread,

And snapped many bushels of beans.

Those hands would swat us when we needed,

And serve up candies from her apron when we were good.

Those hands taught us how to fold ours,

In prayer,

And turned the pages of the big hymnal.

Those hands cared for babies,

Hers and others.

They cooked and cleaned and washed daily.

Those hands never ceased to work,

To care for her family.

Those were my grandmothers hands.

copyrighted

July 2008

I wrote a whole article about what I remember most about my grandmothers. Describing the wonderful qualities they had, the things I loved about them. I published the article on AC. I want my daughters to know about them. They only new one of my grandmothers and by the time they came to meet her she had alzheimers. They missed out on knowing a wonderful woman. You may read the article here.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/905657/my_grandmothers_hands.html?page=2&cat=25

Have you told your granmother how much she means to you lately? Have you shared with your children her wonderful qualities if she is no longer here on this earth?

You should.....

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Today is My Mothers Birthday


Greetings everyone,

Today is a very special day. It is my mothers birthday. I wanted to mark her special day by posting something here just for her. Something that not only she would see but everyone would see. My mother and I have not always had the best of relationships. For many years we were completely apart. I found out though that she never gave up on me, not really, not like I had thought. And I thank her for that.



So today I want to wish her not only a Happy Birthday,

but many other things as well.

I could wish that we had never been separated like we were,

but so many lives would be altered if I wish for that, so I can't.

I could wish that she lived closer to me,

but she loves her quiet country home, so I shan't.

So instead I wish for her-

many sunny days to warm her face,

many friends to cheer her when she's down,

good health to keep her active,

enough in her bank account to satisfy her needs-

and a bit more to play with,

enough love to spill out of her heart-

for both her and others,

but most of all,

I wish for her many more lovely years

here with us on this earth.



Happy Birthday Mom, I love you !!!!