Let an Angel Swing and make you swoon

These lyrics are too beautiful not to share...









The Riddle (by Five for Fighting)
******
There was a man back in '95
Whose heart ran out of summers
But before he died, I asked him

Wait, what's the sense in life?
Come over me, Come over me

He said,

Son why you got to sing that tune?
Catch a Dylan song or some eclipse of the moon
Let an angel swing and make you swoon
Then you will see... You will see

Then he said,

Here's a riddle for you
Find the Answer
There's a reason for the world
You and I...

Picked up my kid from school today

Did you learn anything cause in the world today
You can't live in a castle far away
Now talk to me, come talk to me

He said,

Dad I'm big but we're smaller than small
In the scheme of things, well we're nothing at all
Still every mother's child sings a lonely song
So play with me, come play with me

And Hey Dad
Here's a riddle for you
Find the Answer
There's a reason for the world
You and I...

I said,

Son for all I've told you
When you get right down to the
Reason for the world...
Who am I?

There are secrets that we still have left to find
There have been mysteries from the beginning of time
There are answers we're not wise enough to see

He said... You looking for a clue I Love You free...

The batter swings and the summer flies
As I look into my angel's eyes
A song plays on while the moon is hiding over me
Something comes over me

I guess we're big and I guess we're small
If you think about it man you know we got it all
Cause we're all we got on this bouncing ball
And I love you free
I love you freely

Here's a riddle for you
Find the Answer
There's a reason for the world
You and I...

An Angel...

Tonight I am so full of tears...

Ones of joy, of thankfulness, of heartache, of longing, of being a woman bound by cords and chords of love...
A friend asked me if I had read these lyrics...and I had not. When I did, I wept in such a way that I thought I would flood my house from the inside out.
******

There was a man back in '95
Whose heart ran out of summers
But before he died, I asked him

Wait, what's the sense in life?
Come over me, Come over me

He said,

Son why you got to sing that tune?
Catch a Dylan song or some eclipse of the moon
Let an angel swing and make you swoon
Then you will see... You will see

Then he said,

Here's a riddle for you
Find the Answer
There's a reason for the world
You and I...

Picked up my kid from school today

Did you learn anything cause in the world today
You can't live in a castle far away
Now talk to me, come talk to me

He said,

Dad I'm big but we're smaller than small
In the scheme of things, well we're nothing at all
Still every mother's child sings a lonely song
So play with me, come play with me

And Hey Dad
Here's a riddle for you
Find the Answer
There's a reason for the world
You and I...

I said,

Son for all I've told you
When you get right down to the
Reason for the world...
Who am I?

There are secrets that we still have left to find
There have been mysteries from the beginning of time
There are answers we're not wise enough to see

He said... You looking for a clue I Love You free...

The batter swings and the summer flies
As I look into my angel's eyes
A song plays on while the moon is hiding over me
Something comes over me

I guess we're big and I guess we're small
If you think about it man you know we got it all
Cause we're all we got on this bouncing ball
And I love you free
I love you freely

Here's a riddle for you
Find the Answer
There's a reason for the world
You and I...

******
Oh...to be an Angel!
To be free to only love...
To touch and kiss each wound and so-
To be sent from up above~

To know my touch meant something-
To know you loved me at first sight...
To have healed something broken deep inside-
To know I did something right.

But more than all of this...
An angel found a passion true-
All the love she ever wanted-
Was found inside of you~

Nervous in my own backyard???

I've been to South East Asia...

I studied the language and customs with friends before we left.
However, having been very close to an Asian family for many years here at home-
I knew I was not going to have a problem "fitting-in"-

Even if I did stick out like a sore thumb :)












(There is a glare on this photo- It's not an alien!)

**************************************

I've been to South Africa...

Before leaving I did some research on the CIA world facts website.
I read about the crime rates, the exchange rates, and all the different languages I would be
introduced to. My husband had already been, and several of our close friends were living there. Going to South Africa was going to be easy....


(This dude is KING...no doubt about it!)















And I fell in-love with the children...




***********************************

But...you want to know what makes me nervous?

Want to know what I bought 2 books on today???
Can you guess how many maps I've downloaded and started to study?
Or how many friends and strangers I am pestering with questions about where to stay and if it's safe???





New York City!!!

Yes...for a surprise trip I am taking our son, for his 13th b-day to the Big Apple.
And I am making all of the arrangements now...

I just need to finish reading "New York for Dummies"- so I won't look like one!
This trip is different- I will be the only adult going and I am a little nervous.

But I'm an international traveler for heavens sake! :)

LOL :)

(On a personal note...I'd like to thank X for his advice, suggestions, and scouting out hotel info. Also- a thanks to Dela (who may or may not see this) for all of your help too... :)

Any and all suggestions are welcome.
I plan to make plane and hotel reservations this week :)

This will be yet another "Trip of a Lifetime"! And I suppose that if I could make it through a crazy airport in China where NO ONE spoke english, and survive a close-up photo-op with wild lions in South Africa, then I'll be able to enjoy NYC too! :)



Just thought I'd let you know what was going on with me these days... :)

A Chick in the City

Well...
Where do I begin?

On the way to Charlotte we stopped at Smithfields BBQ near Greensboro...mmm :)
We placed our order and I excused myself to step into the ladies room-
As I rounded the corner- there on the wall- was a giant photo of the last 3 people
I ever expected to see...I almost felt like I knew them!



You can see how big the print is with me in front of it...this is for X.
T was more than happy to help out with this one :)
Yet another Blonde poses with the Rat Pack :)



We drove straight to the hotel- it was very nice and remarkably easy to find.

Schaumi- it did indeed have a Sauna! Which I heated up to "heaven only knows" how hot, and I sat inside thinking of you- day dreaming a little about the country of my ancestors...and realizing that if it weren't 95 degrees outside I'd have enjoyed it a little more! I got right into the pool afterwards :)

The Comedy Club was 1 mile from our hotel, and feeling somewhat adventurous we decided to walk through downtown/uptown Charlotte.

The Club would not be open for another hour- so we crossed the street and went to the only place on the block that was open... it was a bar called "Cyote Ugly".

I didn't watch the movie. Neither T nor I really knew what kind of place this was, except that it was loud and served drinks. There was a HUGE BOUNCER at the door. He carded me, so I figured this place was OK ;) LOL!

I have never seen or heard of a "Body Shot" before last night.

When the chick behind the bar (who was stunning in every sense of the word) climbed up on the bar with a lime in one hand and a shot of Tequila in the other and got on her knees in front of the woman sitting next to my husband, I nearly fell off of my barstool!!!

I must have stared like a little kid seeing their first parade!


"Whew!" I said, once I was able to put my eyes back in my head, I laughed- my husband laughed too...and I asked him, "So, you want to be next?"

He grinned and with a wink said, "Not with her!!!" ;)
That was sweet :)


Clearly it was time to leave Cyote Ugly and head over to the Club. We waited in line, and talked to people standing around- we laughed and did our own imitations of Jeff Dunham's characters.

The show was AWESOME. If this guy comes close to where you live, make the effort to see him- he is wonderful!

"Jeff Dunham and Peanut"


The walk back to the hotel at 10pm was more lovely, and more fun than I could have ever thought possible.

There was a breeze, and hundreds of other people out walking...or sitting in restaurants with wide open windows, eating, drinkning, talking- I've never had an experience quite like it. The landscaping was gorgeous, the huge pieces of art were so much fun to look at up close, and I just felt safe and happy to have this time alone with T.


I took these pic's for K9...I thought he'd enjoy the "public art" :)


The rest of the evening, after a swim and a shower, I will have to leave to your imaginations :)

Needless to say, we are already planning our next get-away! :)


Robin--thanks for your help with the kids~ Chris- I'll call you soon so we can catch up :)

HEY!!!!

-
For a change...

can I just BE???

"Grit"

-
2 days ago I found out a 15 month old nephew of a close friend was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

The same evening another friend lost 2 cousins (17 and 19) on their way to college- in a tragic car accident.

I awoke with a heavy heart this morning. These familes were on my mind. I was thinking and feeling about how it would feel if it were my beloved nephew, or my precious cousins...

My journal entry was thus:

8-23-06
If I were a painter I'd start with a black canvas today.

Life is harsh.
I feel the grittiness of it.
As if a fine layer of sand covers all of me-
rubbing and irritating the most delicate places-
like my eyes.

With every blink the sharp grains embed themselves deeper, cutting the flesh.
The tears flow to wash out the sand,
BUT there are never enough tears.

It's dark in my world today.
Like the proverbial rain cloud over my head in an otherwise sunny location.

***************************

I grieved for these families...but as the day progressed, so did my outlook.
I got an update that the baby was most likely a candiate for surgery and that the tumor was not a death sentence. An answer to prayer.

I had lunch with a dear friend (I posted that at MV Photos)- who gave me good advice.

And another friend I love very much stepped out of the shadows to say "hi"- which felt so good.

T is working late again- so I took the kids out for a special dinner- and we laughed- and talked, and I enjoyed them. Healthy, happy (except for the ill effects of puberty) and interesting people- they are.

It's good to grieve for anothers suffering- and important to treasure the blessings of life and goodness that are before me.

And when things in my life take a difficult turn- I want to remember that I cherished
and appreciated what I had when things were easier. That I LOVED my friends and family while they were living. Hugged my nephews when they were little.
Enjoyed my kids as they grew up-

Sensed and understood the depth of a terrible storm in the lives around me, but didn't fail to notice that the sun was shining...somewhere...
and usually not too far from me.

The Comedy Zone, Charlotte NC *Jeff Dunham*

Guess where I'll be on Saturday night :) ...Can you come too???


The Comedy Zone-
at 516 N. College St. in Charlotte

I know some of you are close enough to join us- and I can not imagine anything
that would make this event more fun than being able to share it with some of you! :)

T and I plan to drive up Saturday afternoon and stay over night somewhere close to the Comedy Zone. It's a 2-3 hour drive (depending on traffic) from where we live, and at least 4 hours from Atlanta. (Way to far for the friends in Pa, and NY, and AZ, and NV - sorry!)



Jeff's comedy is about PG 13...we have one of his DVD's with a censored version and our kids love him- but they aren't joining us on this trip! (maybe next time?)

So- if you want to come along and meet us for dinner and the show afterwards...
I HOPE you will!

I promise you won't be disappointed in this guy- he is wonderfully funny, a gifted ventriloquist, and brilliant in his dialog with his characters. "Walter" and "Peanut" are my favorites :)

I would love to see you there!

Email me or leave a note if you have any questions :)

"Fare-thee-well" at Sunset, but not really an ending~

*
I'm going to miss him...you know~




He is Fidelity personified...




__________________Loyal to a fault~





Smoochable at any time-
and at any age...in any place :)










*********He is Impossible to replace


Of all the precious things in this world,

There's something special about a dog and his girl :)



K9, my friend- thank you for everything :)
The pleasure has most assuredly been all mine!

***SMOOCH***



















K9...you are the best! :)

"Mom, I've been bitten by a snake!"

___


We thought it would be nice to go to the Eno State park for the afternoon and evening.
Or we could go bowling...

Being outside, next to the river, with a picnick sounded lovely.

With towels, books, things to write and read, snacks, and even a few chairs- we all hopped into the car to spend an evening together as a family.

It doesn't happen much these days.

Between T's job, and the kids schedule- family time gets lost. I'm with the kids mostly...and they are pulling away- in the normal ways that kids do.
It was nice to just be together :)

It was hot. Our son could not get to the water fast enough.
We made our way to a shallow part of the stream- wide and rocky, and rippling with cool water with mossy patches of green, where reeds and grasses were thriving well...

With rubber sandals on (cause heaven forbid Mom let the kids get into a stream with bare feet!)- they jump in for a splash.

I'm right behind them... walking, looking...being "Mom"- I call out, "Watch out for snakes!"

Our daughter- growing so tall- looking like a young woman and no longer a child- turns to look at me, with big eyes..."Mom, are there really snakes out here?"

I laughed, "Yes honey...we are in THEIR home, and some are poisonous- stay away from the tall grasses, they hide out there."

Dad (T) is skipping rocks.
I find a spot for my blanket- I want to read as the sun starts to sink.
She casts long golden beams my way- still giving off heat- not yet ready to ease behind a line of glorious green trees that will block her rays and cool the evening.

The kids want to wander, "Mom, can we go over towards the waterfall?"
I feel a sigh well up in me. I think to myself...they will be within sight, and they are not babies..."YES" I say. "But watch out for snakes!"

T has his back to them, still skipping rocks. I'm under a shade tree- reading...I look around- I notice how lovely it all is. Yet, within a moment or 2,
I feel a pit in my stomach. I ignore it...go back to reading...

Within another 2 or 3 minutes...here comes my daughter...running towards me---
"Mom, I've been bitten by a snake!!!"

The pit in my stomach returns...

"Where?" on the ankle... two puncture wounds could be seen...bleeding

"What did it look like?" It was colorful...with red, black, and yellow- or white stripes.

















A Coral snake- Poisonous....or it's a look alike...the Scarlett Kingsnake....NOT poisonous! Both native to this area-
And no one saw it but her...

The guys go to see if they can find it- but it's no use, and my concern is that time is of the essence...if it is poisonous, we need to find help.

Oh- a nice family night indeed!

I'm happy to tell you that a call to Poison Conrol, and a 3 hour visit in the Emergency Room have led us to belive that it was either the kingsnake who bit Miss J, or it was a Coral snake, but it was an "empty" bite.

I think next time we want to have a family night- we'll go bowling!

And, if any of you decide to go outside to a nearby stream, or lovely walk out doors- do me a favor and...

Watch out for snakes!!!


***J will be fine...and this story is what happened to us this evening...but it ends well, and I am thankful :)
Now if I can just get the child to go to sleep~ she's a bundle of nerves...

And to be truthful,
I guess I am too~

Ode to K9

--


Friends...on July 21st a duel was settled, and my heart was claimed by K9, at least in part.
Now, as I face the end of our 30 days (Monday) - I will tell you he has indeed claimed it fully~

Dearest Pup, my Beloved, Smoochable One-

This is by my hand- and from my heart.
Painted upon the soul- in pigment that will not fade.

For you....


"Ode to K9"

Faithfulness personified…
Is all she ever wanted~
Lovers had claimed her treasured heart,
But left her soul quite haunted…

Promises made but never kept~
Mayden’s beating heart discarded…
Left alone in the bitter night…
Only wanting to be guarded.

A Wooing Poet, a Romantic Dandy,
Or a Rottie for her to choose…
Words alone, Wine, Gun, or Bone-
It seemed that Mayden couldn’t loose.

But the pooch prevailed…He wagged his tail,
Mayden loved him with all her heart-
Their 30 days have come and gone…
The Voyage ends, and they must part-

Though we laugh, and kiss goodbye,
And reflect on memories we shall keep-
Such love and joy will show itself,
In the tears that Mayden weeps~

Good bye sweet one…I love you so
And you know I always do-
In my home, my arms, and in my heart,
There is ever a place for you…

************


Farewell K9…thank you for everything- but mostly for your friendship, wisdom, and all the ways you made me feel special! Love you pooch! :)
I will EVER be YOUR Mayden In Waiting~

******SMOOCH*****
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Longing for what?.

Do you ever crave something that's hard to define?

Like waking up with a desire that is 10 times bigger than yourself?

Or feeling like the emptiness inside of you is WAYYYY bigger than your actual person?

Wanting something so badly that it almost makes you nuts...
but NOT knowing exactly what is that you want?

Today is one of those days.


I think it has something to do with the seasons changing.
I WANT AUTUMN.
I want to feel cold. I want to wear long sleeves, and blue jeans...
I WANT SEPTEMBER and October.

But I WANT something else too- yet it feels hard to describe- ELUSIVE.

Lux wrote the other day about being MINDFUL-
X said something about an altered state of consciousness.

I wrote something about~
thinking without touching,
and touching without thinking.

Being mindful when we touch another- being PRESENT when we reach out- I think- is the altered state, the rarer mindset we PUT ourselves in.

I sometimes fail to connect with the people around me.

I WANT to be PRESENT. I want to touch. I want to be mindful.

I WANT to FEEL something other than the heat of this summer that has withered me.

The heat of this dry spell in my closest friendship/partner...and in my writing...and in my cooking...I want it the drought to end.

I felt the slightest hint of a cool breeze when I opened the garage this morning- something in me jumped.

I got chill-bumps. As if an unexpected guest or friend had kissed me- and vanished.

And I wanted more.
I wanted so much more that I thought I would burst. And then the feeling was gone.

CS Lewis called these intense moments of feeling "Joy".
He said the moments slipped away almost as soon as he began to recognize them- and then he wished with everything to have the moment back. I KNOW what he speaks of.
To him- this longing was evidence of HEAVEN~

It reminds me of when I was a child on a tree swing- and how elated I would feel as I was pushed forward high into the air- being touched by the blue infected will of the sky...and falling back safely- and looking forward to the next push.

Soaring...laughing...joyful- I want all of these-

But today I am grounded, quiet, longing~



I realize things could be much worse! :)



K9- you have been a bright spot in my day today- Thank you! ***Smooch*** :)


http://sparringk9.blogspot.com/

I can't stop smiling...(click here)

You have to see what my beloved K9 did with this one!!! :)



Mayden.Warhol :)

http://sparringk9.blogspot.com/

Home again...

The view- from under my umbrella...



Facts about my trip:

*The Marines laid low (but I swear I can spot one from a mile off! :)

*I used my sun-screen but forgot to put it on my ears...yep- the left one is hurting!

* Saturday it rained.
I drove down to the ocean anyway and sat in my car and read- leaving my keys in the ignition.
I forgot THAT MY HEADLIGHTS NEVER SHUT OFF when the keys are in the ingnition.
My battery died... Yet another Blonde moment- from me to you! :)

*The sky was beautiful on Sunday!!!












Do you really think I wanted to come home on Monday????


Are you CRAZY????







But it is hard to blog from the beach- and I did miss you all...and I have lots of catching up to do~ Hope to drop by tonight and get caught up with all of you :)


***********

OCEAN

....

She moves-
Living, beautiful, salty.
Her perfume is heavy in the air.

She is powerful-
But swayed by Moonlight,
His golden love stimulates her ebb and flow.

She is warm-
The Gulf stream makes her such,
Infusing her with energy.

She is "Home"-
I run to her for rest and inspiration,
She welcomes me.

She is dangerous-
If churned by winds and currents,
But not today.

Today she is lovely
Her sand is warm--her foamy water becons,
And I will be at peace.

###

-Cora/Maydens Voyage
8-11-06

Flashed!

I was flashed TWICE today.
Not just once...but TWICE!!!

Oh...the kindness of strangers :)

The road leading to my neighborhood is a long winding one...

It's 45 mph down this street- but it BEGS you to go much faster-(OK, it BEGS ME to go much faster!!!). It is gorgeous once you get past the busy intersection...green lush trees and grass, large pastures and homes sitting in the middle of beautiful acreage.

I'm almost out in the country- and I had INXS playing "Deliver Me"...I'm easily pushing 80- wanting to go faster- wanting to fly with the sun roof open...wishing I had a V8 engine (I could get killed speeding too- which is why I probably don't have one~)-
breathing in the morning air, loving the view and the feel of the engine, I feel SOOOO alive.

Around the next curve comes the flasher.

I don't know him- he is in an SUV...blinking his headlights...(what were YOU thinking???)

It can only mean 1 thing- a cop is hiding out nearby.

I wave as the guy passes me and I slow down...I don't spot a patrol car before I get to the street that turns into my subdivision, so I keep driving...now I'm curious as to where the Officer is waiting.

Sure enough- another mile down the road, in the wide driveway of a country church- there he is. I grin at him as I drive by- just a tad under the speed limit.

The same thing happened this afternoon as I went out to pick up my daughter from school.

Only this time I was keeping the speed limit- going in the other direction...and I was flashed again by another guy (not the same one). Again I smiled and waved. Drove a half a mile- and there was the officer in the driveway of a gas station...just waiting. I grinned at him too.

Speeding on this stretch of road is a guilty pleasure of mine.
I love how it stretches out...how it curves, how easily it gives way to wheels that move faster and faster...I have gone out of my way to drive it's full length- just because I can-- or because the moon was full, or I needed 10 extra minutes to clear my head.

As a rule I keep the speed limit, and I use my cruise control quite a bit to make sure I do.

Guess I'll be crawling along from now on- banishing my guilty pleasure. I've not gotten a ticket since I was 18...and I'd like to keep that record.

The old Orange County speedway is about 30 miles up the road from here...think they'd let me take a spin out there? :)

I'm not sure what would be more expensive- a speeding ticket, or the gas it would take to get to the Speedway!

I guess I should start knitting again! lol! :)

Boneman, On Display...

Crawfordsville Indiana is where the Boneman (www.walkingonalligators.blogspot.com ) has put his art work up for display, and a bit of competition.

He has some beautiful paintings there!

But based on the Muppet Profile below- Boneman (Fozzie) discovered 2 bloggers up in his neck of the woods...Myself, and my wise friend X.Dell :)

X~(Rowlf) getting ready to play a tune on that lovely little piano :)

And me (Kermit)- Just hanging out with a bounty of gourds...

At least this is how Boneman saw it :)

I haven't been to Indiana in a while- but I plan to make the trip in the next 6 months to see my Grandmother who lives there.

As it is -- it just made me smile all day to think that someone took the time to think of us bloggers and include us in the fun :)

Hope you win first place Boneman- and sell lots of paintings!

The Freedom that Unity provides...

Notice anything special about this Crepe Myrtle?
(can be spelled "Crape" Myrtle too)

Here's a close up of some of it's branches...

I planted this one, along with 3 others, 4 years ago.

Last summer when it bloomed I discovered it had 2 different colored flowers growing on it- one half of the tree/shrub had pink flowers, the other half were white :)

To me- it is the most beautiful Crepe Myrtle I have ever seen- and I have never seen another one like it.

This shrub started off with one root...just like the others I planted- but this one grew taller, and broader, and always bloomed the best of all the others.

But this one speaks to me- I come in contact with it almost every day...it's on my side of the driveway- it brushes my car everytime I drive out.

Mostly it makes me think of my closest friend and I... but of other friends too.

It makes me think about Unity and Freedom. A connection at our foundation, but the freedom to grow and become who and what we were meant to become.

I love this tree- I don't wish for it to be anything other than what it is.

In some ways this tree represents my life at the moment- and when I take the time to stop and look at it- I am stunned at how lovely it is.

It isn't perfect...but few things are. I have made big mistakes- but nothings's died.

If I ever move from this house- I will miss this Crepe Myrtle...but until then- it reminds me everyday to be grateful.

And if different colored flowers can grow from the same root, on the same tree, then I of course see something else~

What makes us different is part of what makes us so beautiful.

And when you see that, and I see that...we are united in love-- but still free to express ourselves- free to disagree- but being mindful to be kind- to choose our words carefully.

We may branch out and reach extremes sometimes- but there is a way to get back to the center...a way to be connected...a way to realize that I am yours, and you are mine.

When the rains come- we both get wet. When the sun rises, we both bask in it's glory.

If a dog comes over, we'll both get peed on :)

Life is funny that way~and I am thankful...

-Cora/Mayden :)

(I was speaking of dogs in general- not my beloved pooch K9! :)