Rejoice

I woke up this morning with 2 little dogs licking me, Avery and Bryce awake.  Yawl please go back to sleep, I'm not ready to get up.....not to be.
Text to husband who is turkey hunting.  "Please bring coffee and sausage and biscuits"  We are up.
No response, call to him--he is heading to the truck and on the way.
An hour or so later he says it's gonna be awhile, he is blah blah blah.  I didn't know he was turkey hunting 30 miles away.  I thought surely he would hunt closer to the house........sigh.
Anyway, cleaning, washing, making up beds, #s 4 and 5 whooping and hollering.....I'm tired....and I'm getting p!$$*d.
He and my son show up with breakfast, we eat, they go fishing while I'm left to continue doing all the housecleaning and stuff that we women have as our "job."  And I'm getting more and more P!$$*d.
Then I say out loud, Lord why am I allowing Satan to steal my joy today?  I have everything.  I'm living in my dream house.  Why am I mad about cleaning it up?  You answered my prayers for a husband with children so that I could have grandchildren.  Why am I complaining about babysitting them for a few hours?  You answered my prayers to send my son home safely from Iraq.  Why am I mad they he and his father are able to go turkey hunting and fishing together?  What is wrong with me?
Why am I allowing Satan to steal my joy?  Help me Lord and forgive me Lord.  Let me rejoice in this day and my blessings.

Tabu

Back in my wild days...my best friend Donna, who was a party animal, taught me some stuff.  She was a petite blond and she never wore any type of shoes  but 6 inch heels.  Platforms, spikes.. always 6 inches...and now that I that I think about it, kinda like Dolly Parton.  The heels not the other parts. 
She was a guy magnet. They fell at her feet.  She was sort of mysterious too,  she always kept the guys guessing.  Besides being a petite curvy blond the other thing that made them fall at her feet was her cologne.  They never failed to tell her they loved her cologne...and she never ever told anybody (except me) what it was.  Everybody thought it was some expensive exotic perfume that matched her mysterious exotic personality.
You guessed it, it was Tabu.  I saw the sample sizes in Wal Mart the other day and bought 2 of them for around six dollars. I mixed it with baby oil for a nice after bath moisturizer.  I sprayed a couple of spritzes on a container of baby powder...and I have to admit, it's pretty potent stuff.....a little bit goes a long way...and you can just guess what I mean.....sigh.........

No Not My Mouth But My Mama's (And Uncle's)

My friend was telling me a story the other day about how her mother was prattling on and on in front of some people telling things that embarrassed her and were really Too Much Information. TMI.  I said, just put your hand over her mouth.
What?  Put a hand over your Mama's mouth?
Of course, it's much better than the alternative.  Now isn't it?
Let me explain.  My mother dearly loved to talk, and especially to tell things.  Especially things about me.  For instance, Angelyn got a raise, and now she's making ......dollars an hour!!! Can you believe that?  Angelyn and David bought a .......can you believe how much they spent on that?  Angelyn has got to have surgery on her.....because she is......
Now do you see what I mean?
So when she would TMI me, I would smile sweetly at whomever was on the receiving end of the TMI, shrug my shoulders and very very gently put my had over her mouth.
And they always got it.
Always.  'Cause I'm pretty sure if any you my sweet readers be truthful, your Mama has done the same thing to you.
My uncle is also a rattler. And I was thinking the other day after leaving the Nursing Home,  is this where I got my "Rattling Around In My Head" stuff?
I usually just sit there and  half listen.  I key in about every 50 words or so, unless I hear something kinda crazy.  Like the other day he was rattling, I wasn't listening until I heard the word "creosote."  That's right, creosote.  I never said a word, but apparently he thinks that the housekeeping staff may clean the floors with something like creosote.
Sometimes when I call him, and he is in a rattling mood I put him on the speaker phone and go about my business.  I have even taken a shower with him just rattling on and on.
Last year I had him in the doctor's office, I was trying to tell the doctor what I thought was wrong and he was yada yada yadaing.  I very sweetly put my hand over his mouth and finished telling the doctor what I needed to tell him.  The doctor was not shocked, he understood.  If you know my uncle, you understand.

Today's Rattles

 These are some of the things that were rattling around in my head today.

Names:
My brother's name is Nicholas Leroy II.  And of course my daddy was Nicholas Leroy.  My grandmother named my daddy after her father-in-law Nicholas Daniel, whom she loved and respected.  Everybody except my grandmother called my brother Nicky.  She called him Nicholas.  "Come here Nicholas and give me a hug."  She informed everybody that even though everybody called him Nicky she would always call him Nicholas.  This she did out of love and respect for her father-in-law.
Although my daddy's name is Nicholas Leroy, he went by Roy.  And you better not pronounce Leroy Lee-Roy or my mother would correct you.  "It's La-Roy" she would say.
But on his tombstone she put Nicholas Roy...I asked her why and she said "because everybody knew him as Roy."  Okay.
Once at Thanksgiving we were all gathered around the table, grace had been said, and we were passing the mashed potatoes, corn, etc.  My Mama said to my nephew, who is Nicholas LeRoy III,  (known as Nick) and was about 8 or 9, "baby do you want some .....", when my brother said "don't call him baby."  Mama who rarely cussed, and especially not at the dinner table said in no uncertain terms and with a firmness that only a Mama can say, "I'll call him any d@^^n thing I want to."  "And I'll call him baby any d@^^n time I want to."
Before our #4 gbaby was born, she, being my daughter's first child, was the subject of much controversy over what she would be named.  I liked the name Avery and so did my daughter.  But my son-in-law Joel was insistent on Madison.  One Sunday we were rather heatedly arguing over this at Mama's house.  I'll never forget, she was sitting there quietly in her recliner.  I didn't think she was paying any attention to what we were saying, when she spoke up and said, "Joel, it's the mother's prerogative what to name the baby, because she is the one who goes down in that deep valley to have her."  Everything became very quiet....oh and those of you know #4's name is Avery.
Smile....sweet sweet memories.

My Newest Addiction

This is my latest addiction.  "Words With Friends"  You play it on your iPhone.  If you like scrabble, or if you like word games...do not, repeat do not download this game.  It will consume you.  You will play it any and every free minute that you have.
Unlike _22_ I have never made that many points...the most I have ever made was 68 and I was elated.  I downloaded the free version.  But the version without the ads is only $2.99.  You can play up to 20 people at a time...and the games can last for as long as you and your partner play--until one of you wins or resigns.  You can play with random partners or you can play with friends.
Oh gotta go....just got an alert...it's my turn...

Snippets From The Easter Wild Rumpas Or.....

Does AnyBody Have Any Craft Ideas For Left Over Plastic Easter Eggs?
And I do mean lots and lots of plastic eggs,  eggs that are still lying in a virginal state in a box...
It all started Friday when Son, DIL and gkids #s 6 and 7 came down.  They are moving into my mother's house.  It seems that Son is ready to be home and close to his daddy--he misses them hunting and fishing together, and coming home from his second tour of Iraq, he needs to be closer to home.
So Saturday there was cleaning, moving, painting, storing and selling.  But I went to the auction.  I showed my DIL the 4 things that I did not want to sell...my grandmother's two tables, which I never remember not having around, my mama's sewing machine and a very very old mirror that came from one of Mama's cousin's house.  I was ready to move on and had prepared myself by watching "Clean House."  But I just could not see my Mama's bed and other stuff leaving.  My DIL did a wonderful job for me.
Sunday dawned and found me in a daze from the crazy whirlwind of children, David's special needs brother, and grandchildren in the house.  I sat on the deck sipping my coffee and thought to myself, you have a decision  to make.  You can be like either Martha or Mary in the Bible.  You can be like Martha and run around making beds, picking up clothes, mopping floors or you can sit back and enjoy the moment like Mary did.
I chose to be Mary.
David boiled and the kids dyed 4 dozen eggs.  2 and 3 got a great kick out of this.  I wondered if all they have ever had is plastic.....

DIL, gkids and I all piled in the bed and watched the chipmonks movie.
We didn't cook, we ate takeout...yeah I know that is kinda anathema for Easter but...and I hope He understands why we didn't make it to church.....
That evening our neighbor came over with some more plastic eggs and they hid probably a hundred.  7 kids hunting eggs in the yard....from ages 11 to 2.....fun.
By the end of the day my feet were sticking to the floor in places, I was tired of saying have you seen _____ insert name of one of 7 gchildren and/or CiCi and GinGin, and constantly being on chocolate watch for the dogs, wondering what that pink powder was in various places (seems like it is some kind of dipping powder), and hearing "Nonna 7 dropped this in the yard" (my scan drive that has all my back-up files on it!!!), loss of a rent check and so on and so on.
After everybody left, I realized that the very thing that I said in my wedding vows to David at our wedding almost 15 years ago, "I want to grow old with you, sit on the front porch and watch our grandchildren play in the front yard" had actually come true.
Life is good.

You know things "Rattle Around In My Head"  and since I haven't been able to post much lately, here are a few things that have been rattleing and I need to get out.

Once David and I went to an Elvis impersonator's competition (I know I know) held at a casino on the Mississippi side of Helena Arkansas.  We got off the elevator, took a left and walked a mile down a narrow hall, took another left, walked another mile to our room.  I looked at David and said, "this is a good place to hide from the mob."  From then on I have thought about hideouts. I was thinking about that the other day when I was snoozing in the recliner in my uncle's nursing home room.  It's at the end of a long hall...

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David's idea of putting up his clothes.  I swear there are 4 or 5 layers here.  Starting with his Sunday clothes, pajama pants, jeans, shirts etc.  I left them here just to see if he would ever put them up, of course he didn't until I mentioned it, then he piled them in the closet. Sigh

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I got stuck in our ex-neighbor's yard.  David had to pull me out and we made quite a mess that we had to fix.  I took my car to the car wash the next day because it was covered in mud.  Now I love the car wash, I love to sit in there with the radio turned up and watch the soap and water on the windows. ( I know--I have no life and I'm shallow.) So I pulled up, put my money in, turned on the radio all excited about the "show" and ready to enjoy myself.  And guess what was on the radio?? One of my all time favorite songs--Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynold's song "Don't Pull Your Love Out."  One of them is a Mississippi boy--Joe Frank or Hamilton..oh well I can't remember.  But it's the simple things...

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I bought this knock off bag out of the back of a Lincoln.  I couldn't help myself, in my never ending quest for the perfect purse--it's red, large, had a lot of hardware, the imitation leather is very good--it's very soft and supple..I love it.  Then the guilt set in, because it's a knock off.  I apologized to the purse gods and promised I wouldn't do it again.  Until yesterday....she came back and there was this gorgeous black patent one...but I promise never ever again.
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Conversation with myself and the dogs after I got home from work today--got home let them out...CiCi came back...but where is GinGin?
Me:  GinGin!!!  Ginger Marie!!!  Puppy Dog--Mommy wants you go come inside!!! Puppy Tweet!!!
Where is she?  CiCi where is your sister?
Me:  Looking for the key to the 4-wheeler, can't find it...(going to ride around looking for her) calling David on the phone...where is the key??? Gosh where is my baby girl??? What if something has happened to her?  Where is she?  Where is that durn key?  Why won't David answer the phone?
Open the back door and see garbage sack torn open and then...
Me:  "GinGin give me that chicken bone!!! (as she runs in the back door and under the bed never dropping the chicken bone)
Sigh--puppy children...she was in the garage the whole time.......oh and I guess the bone is still under the bed...