happy birthday sweet baby girl
you are the last
of the grandbabies
six under six
to turn two
little r.
and your beloved dog, baron
and the rest of our family
will always watch over you
and look up to you
even if you are the youngest.
One of the virtues of being very young
is that you don’t let the facts get in the way of your imagination.
~Sam Levenson
patrons of third street in detroit go nuts for a world cup goal by the red, white and blue.
—
‘The applause is a celebration not only of the actors but also of the audience.
It constitutes a shared moment of delight.’
John Charles Polanyi
—
photo image: Hell Yeah Detrroit
and even when your special chocolate cupcake melts in the car,
you just stick the candles in sideways,
light them up,
and blow them out.
and you sing in celebration.
and you rename it a molten hot lava cupcake.
and you can then eat that volcanic overflow with a spoon and a smile.
there were many colorful characters
a knight and his lady were reunited after many long days spent in kindergarten
at last, we shared a fairy bread feast and made a toast to our special magical day
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i was in arizona, visiting my sister and her family, and we crossed the border to go bargain shopping at a market in mexico. we saw lots and lots of wonderful things for sale, but there was one item i simply could not resist. i have always been a huge fan of pinatas, and of all of the celebrations and craziness that go with them, and i saw one that topped all the others. it was a giant. life-sized, santa claus piñata. i knew right away it had to be mine. and, in the spirit of being in the open-air market, i knew i would drive a hard bargain for st. nick.
soon after, there were 5 seconds of tough negotiations that went something like this,
‘how much for that santa?’
’10 dollars and 25 cents.’
‘how about 10 dollars?
‘okay.’
i knew i had been so clever, and had gotten the bargain of a lifetime. i was so happy, and santa and i kind of walked off with a newfound swagger, as i talked about how clever i had been, how the seller didn’t know how much this gem was worth, and how clever i really was.
we drove to the airport and i checked in, proud to be carrying my new friend santa, ready to show him how we like to celebrate the winter holidays in michigan. we got lots of odd looks, smiles and questioning faces, but no matter. it was so clever, that we had ended up together, and for such a bargain price. it was at the ticket counter, however, that my ‘so clever’ bubble was quickly popped, i was told the following: ‘he’s too big to stow above, you’ll have to buy him his own seat.’ what, my $10.00 clever bargain santa would now cost me hundreds to get home??
and soon after, yet another round of intense negotiations took place:
‘okay, what are my other options?’
‘there is only one.’
‘okay.’
we found a compromise. santa could fly with the luggage in the cargo section of the plane, and i had to be willing to accept that he may not look the same upon arrival. we parted ways – him on a conveyer belt, and i walked down a long hallway. i imagined all sorts of terrible things happening to him without his clever mama watching over him, but he would have been an expensive companion to have on board.
when i landed i saw him coming around the luggage carousel, feet first, and with a toe tag on. i thought about how he looked like he was in a morgue, and i knew it had been a very rough flight for him. i picked him up, stood him upright, and as we walked away, he was not quite as jolly, and i, not quite as clever. it had been a good run of clever for both of us though, and how quickly it was over.
The desire to seem clever often keeps us from being so. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
today, it is national chocolate cake day in the united states. as i am never one to pass up a holiday, or chocolate, for that matter, i will fully embrace the day. stop on by and join in the celebration. and please bring some milk if you would be so kind.
When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile. – Regina Brett
KEFI (Greek) – the spirit of joy, passion, enthusiasm, high spirits, or frenzy.
The custom of smashing plates is considered an expression of kefi, when the soul and body are overwhelmed with an exuberance that must find an outlet.
all it takes is a few balloons, a length of police tape, local radio, a pop of color, and of course, a tent. people love a reason to flock together and create a festival out of most anything.
while stopping by my local grocery to pick up a few items, i once again found myself sucked into one of their parking lot extravaganzas. this time we were celebrating our state in all of it’s food and drink glory. combine watermelons, wine, granola, coffee, tortillas, and coupons and you have a state worthy of celebration. my check-out girl was absolutely giddy, anticipating her upcoming shift outside at the festival. embrace the cherries and jump on in!
Let the tent be struck. – Robert E. Lee
it’s amazing how each year our little mother’s day celebrations get a just a bit more exciting than the last one. wonder what next year’s will look like?
annual bash fest
dogs, kids, preps, bikers, hippies
mixed danced for freedom
I didn't have my glasses on.... 