Time For Yum Yums!

“I believe in a benevolent God not because He created the Grand Canyon or Michelangelo, 

but because He gave us snacks.”  

― Paul Rudnick, I Shudder and Other Reactions to Life, Death, and New Jersey

One more thing...have a great day on purpose!

The Stuff Memories Are Made Of

In life, there are what we call memory-making moments, ones that go down "in the books".

This time leading up to my surgery (it's today!!) spent with my mama has gifted me with lots of brown paper packages memories tied up with string. These are a few of my favorite things...

...Hours into a Jerseylicious marathon, my mama asked "Why do these girls act like this?" to which I deadpan responded "B*tches be crazy". I think she almost peed herself. That went straight to the top of the memory leader board.

...Rocky trotted up to the growing pile of flowers my mama was gathering for a vase & faster than I could say "Oh no" he thought it was as good a place as any to raise his leg. Ever the cool calm & collected mom that finds the humor in every nook & cranny of life, she said "Well, those are garbage. New plan!"

...That expression Mr. A had when my mom & I said "Butter makes everything better" at the same time.

...Last week, a mobile vet came by to give Macy Man a check up & asked if there was anything we could do to make him stop purring so loudly (because she couldn't hear his heartbeat). What can we say? He's one happy purrball.

...Here's one last memory for the books! I made my newfangled banana bread recipe for my mom to try & after one melt in your mouth bite she said "I think you've surpassed me on the banana bread making skills."  Warm.  Fuzzy.  Feeling.

Dog Day Afternoon

Mommy, can we go outside? Oh, please please please?

How about we go to the beach?? I've never been there!

I could splish & splash while you take endless photos of me!

You know that sounds like fun!!! I know you.

Macy Man, doesn't that sound like fun? Do you want to come with us??

No thanks. I'm good here.

We're going to the beach,

We're going to the beach,

Hi-ho the derry-o,

We're going to the beach!!

Have you heard?

We're going to the beach!

This is taking too long. 
Let me drive. I got this.

Gahhhhhh! Let me out, let me out!!!

The excitement is moving through me so quickly that all of your photos are going to come out blurry!

Guess we'll just have to come back to the beach another time & get photos of me in the surf.

Love,
Rocky

One more thing...have a great day on purpose!

Currently

Today's post was inspired by Meesh over at Bling & Bones! She is a hippie happy soul who I have a feeling may even sweat warm fuzzy feelings. Thanks to her, I'm going to take a moment & randomly survey my current goings-on.

Reading. . . 

It took months, but I nabbed the #1 spot on the library's wait list for The Hunger Games just in time for my [minor] surgery this week! It's my chosen 'recovery reading'. Talk about perspective! Any little pain I feel will be answered with "Hey, at least I'm not fighting to the death in the wilderness."

Watching. . . 

Jerseylicious! Every time my mom & I visit there happens to be a marathon on TV so we can play catch up. I vividly remember the chilly day two winters back when I got sucked in. I was in my mama's kitchen, resisting diving in-a-most-unladylike-fashion into the homemade Shepherd's pie that was cooling on the counter, when my mom called out "P (my nickname), you have to come watch this!!" That was all she wrote! We're voluntary passengers on board the crazylicious train.

Anticipating. . . 

Picking out accent colors for the house (we're going for this zen look with a few pops of color), More dancing in the aisles of TJMaxx with my mama, Turning the corner on this injured state of my life as I've known it for the past 18 months

24 Hours At Murrells Inlet

Last week, Mr. A & I traveled up the coast to visit some friends for a night. From the moment we arrived at their cottage/villa/any other wonderful word that describes a home with so many windows it makes you feel lighter, time slowed to a crawl. On a whim we decided to head to the inlet for some afternoon fishing. Now, I only had about two minutes of fishing experience from my childhood summer camp days because I was afraid of the bait, but I was game to try again!

Is That An Itty Bitty Rubber Chicken?

                                                                       Yes. Yes, it is.

This is the story of Mr. A making a dream of mine come true. 

For my birthday, he gave me a teeny bucket filled with itty bitty rubber chickens.

Yeah, yeah. I know. You need a lil' back story. A few years back I was addicted to watching home improvement shows. It stems from a combination of my obsession with "Before & After" photos & my appreciation of using what ya got.

There were two roommates on one show renovating their kitchen. It came time to move the stove & one girl eagerly jumped behind it before it was completely pulled away from the wall. Only seeing the top of her hunched back, you suddenly heard "Oh my gosh, I've been looking for him forever!!!"

If that doesn't peak your interest, I don't know what does. You imagine that it's some sort of trinket & hope to heaven it's not a formerly living creature she's speaking of.

She pops up with the itty bittiest rubber chicken that I ever did see. It was love at first sight for me. The wheels started turning & I imagined all the ways in which I could leave itty bitty rubber chickens around town. My favorite was the idea of leaving one behind with the tip at restaurants.

So that is just what I've started doing. I daydream about watching a montage of all the "What the cluck?" reactions as the chickens are discovered. I would love that.



One more thing...have a great day on purpose! (Have a cluckin' good time while you're at it!)

A Woman's Words

During my morning at the spa for my birthday, I filled the time browsing through love notes left by women that had come before me. 

I felt their inner peace come through, 

let my tension melt away with every turn of the page, 

found myself cheering on their inner thoughts (Mhmmm, Been there girl! YES!),

was in the company of strong woman seeking their best selves.

All Dogs Go To Heaven

To anyone who's ever lost a pet, you will find your heart's truth in this story.

Photo Credit: A Place To Love Dogs

I mean, come on! From the mouths of babes, right?

Remember to have a great day on purpose!

The One Where I'm In Awe

I see the car containing my family roll up to our front door (rather, right up to my feet as we ran into the street to meet it)!


My arms fall into place around my mama's shoulders. And it's surreal.


Not wanting to waste a second with door handles, I pull Rocky through the window. His body settles upon me like a bag of flour; heavy but gentle. Mr. A snaps a few pictures then joins in to finish out the circle. And we can feel the love. Macy Man meows something along the lines of "What about me?" from his cat carrier.


I make a note that this is a memory my heart will revisit many times over. Her first visit. To the first home that Mr. A & I have created for ourselves. The first she's seen me live anywhere but down the hall or up the stairs from her. She remarks straightaway on its comforting warmth.


Eight months of 'I love you, I'll talk to you in the morning's later & now... a night finished with an "I love you, I'll see you in the morning."

Momsick

I don't call her "Ice Mama". See footnote*

The capacity of my mom's heart & the lightness of her spirit make her an easy creature to miss. Have you ever been momsick? (I made that word up. Think homesick for your mom.) After eight long months, I only have to wait 24 more hours before she & "the boys" (the pets) are here!

In anticipation of my mama's visit, I'd like to share with you a letter I wrote to her for Mother's Day. (I submitted it for consideration in a Hallmark competition but it didn't win so I'm allowed to share it now.)

This is the woman who's arrival Mr. A & I eagerly await...


Dear Mama,

 It’s true that the first heart we hear in life is our mom’s. Your heartbeat is always with me. Not a day goes by that I don’t hear your encouragement. You know just what to say &, more importantly, what I need to hear. You hand me a pair of brave boots & big girl panties when I’ve temporarily lost the strength to do so for myself. 

 But you are more than my incredible mama, you are a remarkable woman to boot. You set an example of faith over fear, grace over greed & positivity over pessimism. I am your daughter as well as your student, and I am always taking notes. 

Please keep teaching me with love.



One more thing...have a great day on purpose! (*ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. It's wise to place it before emergency contacts in your phone.)