Happy Valentines Day

February is the shortest month of the year, but known as the most romantic with Valentines Day smack in the middle. If anything, it just means you have a reason to tell your loved one something special. With that in mind, I’d definitely recommend it with a side of flowers, every woman loves getting flowers. OK, maybe not every woman, as my sister is not a fan of them, weird I know.  Maybe we should have listen to my mother’s warnings that brain damage could happen if we dropped her, however, this is not a confession of any kind Whatever you do, always keep looking for ways to grow and improve your relationships. So I decided to write my husband a poem this Valentines…

His love for me

Fills me with glee

Our words never show

What our actions know

We said I do

Cuz I love you

Since 1994

And hope for 20 more

Write Your Obituary & Identify Your Legacy

Every year I set forth a plan to obtain my goals for the new year. As I began my research I came across this lecture given by Brad Meltzer  (NY Times best-selling author and host on the History Channel) It was a great lecture about what you want your “legacy” to be. As Brad puts it:  “you don’t get to write your own obituary” – well Brad I take that as a challenge!  So here is my obituary

Ginny, the best-selling author*, well know social coordinator, artist, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend died of  _________ w/ her family by her side. Under her organized, positive and witty approach to life lay an impatient, loud and annoying woman with heart of gold. She loved her family, friends, Elkhounds, writing, photography, art, changing her mind and having the last word. She is preceded by her husband Roger, or as many referred to him as the “the-hostage”, daughter Ashley, who many referred to as “Mini-Ginny” along with many grandchildren, family and friends. She was born Catholic, however liked to say religion was not for her, she was more of a realist who was intrigued by the super natural. She had a lifelong love affair with soda, shopping and laughing. During her life, she excelled at anything she put his mind to or ditched the evidence that she tried. She loved to hear a joke, tell tales of grand adventures she had and mock those she loved most. Her legendary humor will linger with her book of short stories “Virginia, I don’t find that funny” and with her loved ones. In lieu of flowers, she asked that you make a sizable denotation to yourself & do something FUN!                         *My biggest dream/ goal

“Yes Virginia there is a Santa Clause”

Here we are, in the holiday hustle and bustle! This is the most wonderful time of the year!  I say, embrace the excitement of the season with all the snow, shopping and cookie exchanges. My specialty is rice crispy treats, as there is no baking required. And this may come as a shock, but many cookie exchange groups frown upon store bought cookies. Hey I scraped the word Oreo off the dam cookie, however the cookie-police were not having any of that. Actually they were quiet brutal calling me names and not letting me play any cookie-games However, I overcame it all and now I organize the cookie exchange. Although what I enjoy most of all is holding family and friends hostage to listen to holiday music in my car, most know their only escape is to get in the spirit or tuck-n-roll baby… My favorite Christmas song is the “12 pains of Christmas” it is hilarious, you must listen to it.

Thanksgiving Happenings

Of all the family flashbacks that can make me laugh, the gold metal would go to the annual “happenings” with the thanksgiving turkey. I grew up having that traditional thanksgiving feast, I wanted very much to continue that tradition when I got married. I decided to treat my new husband and family to a traditional thanksgiving dinner. I went to the closest store, which happened to be Wegmans, tempted by the ready-made meals, I continued on my quest to make my own. Basically it went downhill from there, as I have no Martha or Rachel Ray in me. The day before my big thanksgiving dinner we got a lot of snow, my husband went outside to shovel and I began to organize the kitchen to prepare my turkey. As the morning progressed so did an argument. I reminded my husband of our marriage treaty; when we got married and bought our 1^st home we agreed on the “inside-outside law.” I do all the inside chores; he does everything outside.  Something that we still do to this day. However that morning I was stressed about hosting dinner for the family, and was not interested in his turkey advice. So in an irrational moment, that many of us wives have. I flung the turkey out the backdoor, YES, it was still wrapped. As it landed in the snow-bank I said; “FINE! Its outside work now!” Just then I saw my neighbor, who also happened to be my father’s boss standing next to my husband. And just my luck, my father pulled into the driveway. I was like a deer in the headlights as I stood there in my pink fuzzy slippers, praying they did not see my turkey in the backyard. No such luck… my neighbor turned to my husband and said “I’ll pass on that thanksgiving invite” and laughed. My father looked at me over his glasses and said “Virginia, is that the turkey for tomorrow?”  Geez… he went straight to calling me Virginia… well that’s it, it’s over! I knew I would have to pick up that dam turkey (sigh). “FINE, I’ll bring it back inside”, I said through gritted teeth, knowing my husband was sporting that ha-ha-I-win smile. Unfortunately that wasn’t the only speed bump on this thanksgiving journey. As my sister was scooping the stuffing out, apparently I had neglected to remove the spare parts inside. Seriously why would they put that in there. And due to an earlier complication dinner rolls did not appear on the menu, however no one was really surprised as smells of burnt bread filled the house.   ~That was the last thanksgiving dinner at my house~

Today is my birthday.

Slightly over 35. OK, slightly meaning I have rolled over into my 40’s. However birthday-girl rules, so we are saying “slightly over 35″  My birthday has always been my favorite day of the year. My mother would always make our day very special when we were kids. My sisters and I got out of school early, would go shopping and we always got to pick what we wanted for breakfast, lunch & dinner. My birthday meal would be French toast; go out to lunch and chicken-n- biscuits for dinner. The funny thing is I share a birthday with my mom; I being the younger one, just like to point that out  I always thought my birthday was a little more special than my sisters. Although one of my sisters was born on mother’s day and she probably thinks the same thing. However she is wrong and it is my birthday, so I am right And if any of you knew my father or read some of my stories (i.e. Rule 57) you know he was all about rules. His “Birthday Rule” was pure genesis! A rule I diligently try to keep alive in his memory, he’d want it that way.  At least that is the story I am selling to my sisters, who along with my husband are very resistant to following this rule.

Birthday Rule:

~You must be nice to your sister on her birthday, no matter what!

The birthday rule was like a free pass to mess with your sisters and they couldn’t do anything back to you. However my father did have a day-after clause. He would say, “Just remember, I see nothing.” He would always say it in his Sergeant Schultz’s voice (the guard from Hogan’s Hero’s). At first I thought he was trying to tame the birthday diva in us, all right me. Sadly, I proved him wrong every year. Years later, I realized the old man had played us. He knew we would cling to him like glue the day after.  And even if it were a workday he would be home early, cleaning the garage, basement or raking leaves. He would say if you’re not helping go play. So I helped, I always helped. Thankfully my mother would always save the leftover chicken and biscuits for me.

College Girl Again

I have struggled with the direction I want my career to go, for a few years. While photography has been my main passion for twenty years, I want something more now. Yet not knowing what the heck that was until recently. I thought holy-crap, I am 35+5 (still sounds better than 40) and I haven’t a clue of what I want to be when I grow up. And although others have reassured me I am not alone in that feeling. It still didn’t stop the TICK TOCK in my head. I began with making a list of my interests and researching those paths. Since I am all about the preparation, I attended lectures, meet with those in my field of interest, obtained my college transcripts and letters of recommendation. So here I am ready for my first day tomorrow as an officially college student, again.

Show Entitlement The Door

American’s desire for fundamental change unfortunately comes with a side of entitlement, that is marinated in “I deserve-it” attitude, wrapped in quilt for the rest of us to pony up our hard earned cash. I think it’s time to give these folks a ripcord to Earn-it-ville USA. And send our government to some much-needed therapy, as they are the biggest enablers on the plant! They are causing an indissoluble wedge between hardworking Americans and those with their hands out looking for the next government bailout. Seriously hasn’t the Senate, House of Representatives or our President ever heard of the old saying “give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life” (sigh) Sadly, I have come to the realization that any similarity between politicians and hardworking people is purely coincidental. Seriously, unless it’s going to be in their insanity plea, they gotta stop blaming everything from he ate my homework to global warming on the previous administration. And become part of the solution.

“The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.” ~ Ben Franklin