H.W.M. * M

H.W.M. * M

I met Mr R around the summer of my 13-14th year...
I am now 49 .. You do the math ...

THAT..... is a long time to know someone.

But today the H.W.M. is about his brother M... which means I have known him ... just as long.

Man that seems hard to believe....

To be quite honest I don't remember HOW we met... I don't know if it is because of the virtual length of time.. or the fact that M just always seems to have been there.

Although I do vaguely remember a time in school walking down the hall.. were he was standing outside of his class with some buddies.. and I got the courtesy nod.. You know to acknowledge that I saw you.. but Hey .. I am with my boys so I really can't talk..

It was cute..

All through the years... he has been there.. kind of quietly taking things in...

He is funnier then he let's on.. and has quite a tender heart.

He is the Uncle that invented "Burpy Flowerland" and never had a problem whatsoever joining the kids on the slip and slide.

He was also the Uncle who would volunteer to help put together toys that the kids would receive on their birthday...

Mainly because he was just as excited to play with them as the kids were !!!

He really IS a kid at heart.

For many years ... he and Mr R would claim the house for the Super Bowl...

All women were banished.... as the Mens would concoct all manner of stomach burning appetizers... You know "Manly Food" that would test how iron clad your innards are...

Things like Stuffed Jalapenos ( With most of the seeds still in ) and Mad M's Firehouse Hot as H #@&! Chili... ( and it was )

All of this "Manly" food would be consumed in front of the T.V. while obscenities flew loud and clear about the game and the inept coaching.....

( Thus the real reason all women were banished.... to protect our delicate ears)

M is turning 48 today... It really is hard to believe... because to me.. he will always be that tall lanky kid in the hallway... who in his own way let's me know... he sees me..and that everything is cool

Happy Birthday M

Mamma's Heart.. Feeling good in all kinds of ways !!!

Hey all...

Kick started the week with an early Dr's appointment for Mamma.. Everything checked out fine with the Cardiologist Her Pacemaker is working great...and she now has clearance for eye surgery

(To unclog a tear duct )
She's so happy about this because ... it means hopefully she will be able to once again do one of her most favorite things without any issues......

Read...

Right now as it stands.. even though she can sew with out a problem.. there is something about the back and forth motion required in reading that causes her tear ducts of overflow ... making it almost impossible to read for any length of time before everything becomes a blurr...

Hopefully we will be able to get this taken care of for her quickly....

We just keep replacing her parts.. Hopefully...she'll be good for a while yet.. (Let's pray...)

In other news.. we had a Visitor !!!!!

My Cousin Virgina !!!!!

or V or Ginny... or Gin... or Ginger what ever you call her.. To me she is my sweet sweet cousin Virgina.

She is the daughter of the other Uncle I wrote about that helped make it possible for us to come here.

Her father and mine were brothers.. Isn't she the cutest?

I don't know how Mamma is holding it all in... First My Cousin M... and now V !!!!

We all had a great visit as usual... Here we have Mamma showing off her autographed 8x10 of her " T.V. Boyfriend"

Charles Gibson...

Virgina teased Mamma about putting the picture in her bedroom.. But of course Mamma said.....

"Oh No !!!!... Maybe he stay da sewn rooma... Ma No da Bedaroom !!"

I mean come on... some things should be kept sacred.. But.....

( I must admit she HAS given me a great idea... can you imagine the look on Mamma's face.. if I were to put ol Charlie's framed face on the pillow .. just under the covers...!!!! .... Now THAT would be a hoot !!! )

It is always so good seeing Virgina.. she is something else... don't let her small size fool you...

She's a tough one.. Like many of the women in my family.. Tough and Tender all at the same time..
Virginia... V... Ginny... Gin... Ginger.. Whatever we call you... You really really made Mamma 's day,and mine...So glad you came by.

Well I am off to run some errands.. and then later to dine with some Gal Pals..

Now this.. is my kind of day..

Good News from the Dr ............. Check

Visit from Nice Cousin............Check

Run around and Pick UP odds and ends.....Almost Check

End Evening in the company of good friends.......Almost Check..

Hope where ever you are... Your day is / has been Good..

Later Gator...

Zingermans, Kerrytown and Gallup... OH MY !!!

Had a fun filled day with Mr R ....

We decided we needed alittle "Together " time... so we went to one of our most favorite places for lunch...

Zingermans' in Ann Arbor...

Mind you today is Saturday.. and on the weekends there is a Farmer's Market.. which of course brings in alot more people... if you have never been to Zingermans... You really must try it... it is beyond the beyond.

Unfortunately ....when we turned the corner .....we saw the line was wrapped around the side of the building...
Lucky for us.. it moved fast.

On a side note.. it was fun listening in on conversations while waiting in line...the guy behind us had come from California and had been in Michigan for a while but had never been to Zingermans before... He was told it was a must .... so today was his virgin voyage... he was talking to a young girl and her boyfriend who had just come from Chicago and were working in Kalamazoo...they where there for the first time as well...

(I am not really a eavesdropper but their conversation was pretty loud).. at one point she was telling California guy that she had a fabulous meal at a great little Topless Bar... Cue Record Scratch!!!!!!.

Suddenly the line was silent... and she started to laugh.. she repeated... TAPAS BAR... You know... where they specialize in small appetizers...

Cali guys says....

"Oh man... I thought you said Topless"...

just about everyone laughed. because that's the way we all heard it too...

( Just Saying.. it was funny... I guess you had to be there.. )

Anyway .. we got in and had originally order the Cuban pulled pork sandwich..... only to find out as soon as we were ready to pay.. they were all out of the pulled pork... so.....instead we got the equally wonderful

Italian sandwich.. I cannot remember the witty names for either... (Notice the bite taken out... what can I say... I was hungry!!)


Once your order is ready.. the waitstaff comes out and calls your name and brings you your food..

While we waited.....It was fun to sit and people watch in the outdoor seating area... People from just about everywhere.. all wrapped up in their various conversations .. stopping occasionally to wipe their mouths and sigh with pleasure at their meal..

A group of guys... over to our left had one guy (who I believe worked there and was maybe on a break.) telling the others about the most expensive item in the place.. a $ 500 bottle of 75 yr old balsamic vinegar... that had a hand crafted wooden box ... carved with some intricate design..and certified aged for 75 yrs... I didn't think much of what was being said... But Mr R said something so like him... he said



"Isn't life wonderful...?"

I know just what he was thinking... How interesting people are.. and how everyone has a story.. and how we all have something new and interesting to teach each other.. and how there is just so much out there...so much we may not ever know about ... or see... or hear about... I feel the same way...( Most of the time) ... How rich and wonderful this little blue ball we live on is... and yes there are ALOT of sad and ugly things..
I think it all depends what you focus on...

It was all of that....OR...
Maybe he was just digging his Sandwich?
either way....

NOW ..... do you see why I Just Love
this guy????


Our food came.. and was of course.... WONDERFUL...
we also shared a side of this lovely bow tie pasta with feta cheese and watercress.. I had this delicious soda called Dr Browns Ginger Ale.. Not bad.. but I still prefer good old Vernor's...another great Michigan Product..


We roamed around the market for a bit.... After we left Kerrytown we headed for Gallup Park...


Gallup Park is a 69-acre park and is Ann Arbor’s most popular recreation area. It is located along the Huron River and Geddes Pond with scenic walkways,small islands and pedestrian bridges. The park contains two playgrounds, a canoe livery, picnic areas and grills scattered throughout ,and over three miles of asphalt trails that are popular for biking, rollerblading, walking and running. as well as many benches for one to rest their weary bones..



I used to take my kids to this park all the time when they were little... You know.. Two little ones... 16 months apart.. No money.. so we'd pack up our picnic basket.. a couple of Snoopy fishing rods... and off we'd go.. ( I think that maybe this is where my son's love of fishing may have started.. It was amazing how peanut butter sandwiches could really get them biting)



Today....The bench nearest to us had this plaque on it...

We brought our own chairs and plenty to read... Mr R is reading Outliers by Malcom Gladwell



I have three that I just bought.. but am focusing on the one in the middle.. Physics of the Impossible by: Michio Kaku
It is utterly fascinating... all this quantum physics mumbo jumbo...or as I like to say.

Energy.......It's the stuff we're made of... (Sorry inside corny joke there..)

The other book is Snoop : What Your Stuff Says About You. By Author Sam Gosling who talks about how he can determine a person's personality by looking at their possessions.

It is basically a study of what ones possessions, surroundings, music choices, even Face Book profile say about the person... VERRRRY INTELLESTING.!!!!!!




The Third book is:The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death: Reflections on Revenge, Germophobia, and Laser Hair Removal... By Laurie Notaro
Well now....I think the title says it all....
Hmmmmm What the heck do my Reading choices say about me?????
Let's forget I brought this up...

The afternoon was fun... we rested, relaxed and read.. my favorite R's...
This little guy was a hoot... I just wish my camera was of better quality... I don't have the greatest zoom on this point and shoot... but I thought the colors and contrast where just beautiful...not to mention how darn funny this kid was... he was trying so hard to coax the geese out of the water... even resorting to using their own feathers...

Once they approached however..... He would shoo them away....
It would have been great to get a little closer .....but I didn't want his family to think I was a creepo

Speaking of Creepo's... This little bugger.. walked right up to me...looked me in the eye.. and stared me down... as if to say... Yo... I'm Hungry... where's the bread?
I think I am going to have bad dreams about this one for sure....



After Gallup Park... Mr R and I stopped by our local grocery store and picked up a few things he needed for the great meal he had planned.. He just got Bobby's Flay's Burgers Fries and Milkshakes.. Oh Sweet Mama...Talk about good...

Yes.. I would say it was the end .. to a great day...
Is it bad that all I want to do is get my Jammie's on at 7:30 in the evening...

My god... I am old!!!!!

I think I may need a little "Grey Goose " tonight.. Get it... Grey Goose... Grey Goose... ( Oh never mind )







Hope your weekend is Great!

You think WHAT ??????

Had an interesting "Discussion" with my " CHURCH LADIES"
and is often the case, any random topic can somehow creep into the discussion..More often then not we are in agreement with each other on the given issue..
But......Quite frankly ... it is much more interesting to me when we are not in agreement...

Not because I am say such a big fan of loud voices.. or interruptions of each other's thoughts.. but because I truly truly LOVE to hear the opposing point of view.

SOMETIMES...( but not often..) I even change my mind !!!

The important point here... and I do have one is....

Regardless of how much we may disagree on something, (Speaking for myself and I hope for the most part the other ladies as well )...we do not hold opposing points of view against each other....

I don't think this is always the case...

often when one party finds out that your opinion or thoughts on something differ... it somehow makes your relationship different.

How sad.... The same person is sitting in front of you... they don't just happen to think or believe the way YOU do...

I am grateful to these women ... not only for putting up with me regardless of my stance on a topic.. BUT... for putting up with me even when I DON'T have a stance on a given topic.

A true sign of friendship means... you play nice...and thank goodness... we do.

I found out another important and profound fact .... One that I have fully grasped.... and that is........

No matter how loud and disagreeable your discussion is.... Lunch afterwards seems to make it all better.

You walk away thinking.. disagree??.... about what????

Thanks Ladies .... once again thought provoking dialog.

H. W. M. * J*

H. W. M. * J

J is my first Niece....

I went for the longest time with out any nieces or nephews and then they started coming fast and furious...

Deep down I just knew my sister was going to have a girl... I just knew it..

I didn't ....however think I was going to love this kid so quickly.

The first time I laid eyes on her, she was on my sisters' hospital bed...

Me... Mamma... and Pa, had just come into the room expecting only to see my sister.. but there she was, wrapped up in the cute little pink and blue hospital blanket cigar thing they do...
The tiniest little thing ...

( Remember I had watermelon size kids...she was perhaps a cantaloupe)

Ironically her hair was sort of light reddish color, like the inside of a cantaloupe, with the most perfect teeny tiny waves.

I thought she was probably one of the cutest babies I had ever seen.

I looked over at my sister and I could tell she was on cloud Nine.. and no not because of any hallucinogenic drugs, it was Mother Love that she was on...

I really thought she was going to stay a redhead.. but blond curls soon sprang up... and even now it seems like her hair is changing ... who knows maybe one of my sister's kids may end up actually looking like her... and get her dark hair.
It doesn't matter whether J looks like her.. because she definitely has my sister's personality traits..

She is the kid in the group you NEVER have to worry about breaking the rules!

Although shy... once she gets to know you.. she will crack you up with some of the things she says... and may break your heart with her tenderness.

A bit of a worrier... her concern is to get it right, to please, and not stir things up... She looks more like her Dad... but is all her Mom...

(Think God doesn't have a sense of humor? ...

How about putting polar opposite kids in the same family.... Wait till you hear about her sister !!!! Ha...!!! .... Hmmmm come to think of it... it kinda sounds like me and MY sister... I am so quiet and kind.. and she well... I don't want to hurt her feelings so I will leave it at that...)

Back to J...

I have to say my father fell in love with her instantly... One day shortly before he passed away.. he was playing with her on the floor.. when he got up he said..

" This little girl is gonna kill me !"

What he meant was... he could not believe how much he loved her, it was almost breaking his heart.

Having recently been diagnosed with cancer ... I am sure he felt like every single moment was special... and it was...

J.....I just wish you could have known him better... Some days you really were his only sunshine.

You are still our sunshine..

You make me so proud in what a good person you are already.... at such a young age... and even though you are quite a bit younger then Maria..... I know that one day you and your sister, will be the closest thing Maria will have, to sisters.

That makes me happy that you came along and that you are as sweet as you are..

I knew from the first day I saw you... You were going to be our Princess Peanut.

and That... is How We Met.

Happy Birthday J

Love You

Aunt Marcy

H.W.M. * P

H.W.M. P

It was many many Moons ago....

My brother and I were feeling sorry for my sister .... it was her birthday and she had to work.

At that time she was going to school weekdays in Lansing and working at the hospital here in town on the weekends.. We just about never saw her... and now on her Birthday working late.

My brother being the mole that he is...back ally ed his way to the employee lounge.( I STILL don't know how he found it... it's kind of scary ! )

The plan was to take her out to Denny's ( You know... free meal on your birthday kind of thing ... we were broke.. not cheap ).... anyway...we waited for her shift to end.

No one seem to mind or notice we didn't work there... but a few would ask who we were waiting for... this is was at least a good 10-15 min before the shift was to officially end.. yet more and more people gathered in the lounge area ... yakking away with us.. No sign of Lina.. apparently she was one of the few people that actually waited till it was time to punch out to show up at the lounge.. Go figure.. work ethic...what the heck is THAT all about???

Finally after yakking it up with her co workers and explaining why we were there.. they milled around to wish her a Happy Birthday... One of those Millers was P...

At the time he seemed like a nice enough guy.... but nothing stood out in the sense that we'd be seeing alot more of him..

We found out later that he had more than a casual interest in my sister... and the fact that her siblings cared enough about her to want to acknowledge her birthday with a visit .. was surprising and perhaps a bit intriguing... What kind of Weird and Wacky family was this...

Muhahahahahaha.. he soon found out..

They dated a LONG time... and never told anyone at work...never let on that they had anything more than a casual friendship. Even when P went away to another state for further education, NO ONE knew the depth of their relationship...

Imagine the surprise on many a co worker's face when they got an invitation to the wedding.. or heard about it through the mysterious unseen grapevine that seems to exists in all large work environments..

Yeah they showed them alright...

In those years we got to know P ...Pretty well... what we found out was.

A. He can keep a secret... ( Especially if he knows he will be killed or maimed by my sister.)

B. He is genuinely a good guy

C. He can talk to just about anyone...( You're having a party and not all the guest know each other???.. there is that weird.. awkward feeling in the air.???.. P ... is your man.. somehow he will find the one person most ill at ease... and ease them.) Maybe it's his medical background??

D. He's funny... ( Goofy funny.. but funny )

E. He can put on one hell of a good Fourth of July Fireworks Show..

F. He loves his girls...

G. He gets our whole Italian Family thing...( for the most part)

H. He is alot smarter then he will ever let on.

I. I.. let's see.. I..??? don't' know what else to say... other then maybe...

I like P... He's a good guy..

So there you have it... How I met my brother in law P.

Happy Birthday P... Keep on .... Keeping on. You Da Man....!!!!

Look at the little Birdie !!!!

Yesterday... Did NOT go as planned...

I thought it was going to be a day filled with alot of running around with Mamma...

but because of the heat.. she didn't feel up to jumping in and out of the car or running from store to store.. so...instead...

I did alot of jumping in and out of the car... and running from store to store...

It's just as well that she didn't go because by mid afternoon... I WAS BEAT !!!

I don't think waking up at a little after 4:00 helped ...

but at any rate I am glad she stayed at home, inside the nice cool air conditioned house.

Today she is going to try and venture out and go for a chiropractic adjustment...

That I am afraid will be the extent of her adventures into Holy Hell Hot City !!

After all of MY running yesterday....

I had to lay down for 1/2 hour nap... After that.......I was as good as new!

and just in time...

Maria called from work and asked if I wanted to go with her to put a down payment on the photographer she and M had agreed upon. With Mr R out of town, and not having to prepare a full blown meal.. I jumped at that one...

Ironically....

The Photographer they picked was also OUR wedding photographer 28 years ago !!!!!

Even MORE ironic is that Maria's future sister and brother in law used him as well... ( How Freaky!!! )

Maybe it was meant to be !!!!!

One of the big differences since we used him .. 28 years ago... is.... he was just starting out....and still working out of his basement... and now he has a really nice fancy, dancy office..

The other big difference is.. way back when.. the main objective of your wedding photographer was..... could he get all the important shots?.. and ... How was his price?

Now and days.. it all seems alittle more complicated.. I mean.. all the choices.. colors themes in the prints... the staging of wedding party... everything seems to lean in a more artistic way.

The most artistic print in my day was a picture of your hands ( with bright shiny wedding bands... placed on top of each other ... overlapping your invitation..Wow .. Artsy !!!)

Now the angles.. lighting, filters, and .... general scope of what they do is breathtaking...

They make EVERYONE ... look good( or at least for me personally... I am praying for....)

Yes... it was fun and a little heart tugging to know that now my BABY was next for this exciting time in her life.

Ugh !!!!!

Hormones .... why why why must you torment me so ?????

OK...

It's all good... it was just an EF.... ( Emotional Flash ) .. You know kinda like a HF...( Hot Flash )

only instead of water in the form of sweat... you have water in the form of tears..

They are going to make a beautiful couple ..... all I can say is ....

Thank You God.