Monday, November 24, 2008

a study in grandmas, part 1

In her day, Grandma E. was the epitome of a stellar housewife. She could cook a mean roast, bake from scratch the tastiest of pies and keep the house nothing less than the sparkliest of cleans.

Grandma E. is salt of the earth. She has been hardened by life and is inclined to be doubtful. My father says of her, his mother: "She can find the cloud in any silver lining."

This sign has hung in my grandma's kitchen my entire life, probably longer:
Yesterday is but a dream
Tomorrow is just a vision
but Today was a real bitch


My Grandma E. will never forget things my stepmother did when my sister and I were children, and she will never forgive her -- even if my sister and I have. I love her a little bit more for that.

The years will fall off my Grandma E. when she talks about arriving in California with her mother when she was sixteen, all their possessions from Arkansas fit into a single suitcase.

My Grandma E. lost beloved children - through miscarriages, stillbirth and car accident.

On top of keeping that stellar household, she worked as accountant managing the books for my grandfather's business. She went back to school as an adult and earned an Associates degree with honors.

Grandma E. is an avid reader and the loss of her sight pains her greatly.

My 3 words to describe Grandma E. are strong, perceptive and loving.

today...

my meager caffeine allowance just isn't enough.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

want to make your life seem easy?

watch Jon & Kate Plus 8!

you'll realize that however hard it is to care for your child(ren), at least you don't have twins AND sextuplets!

after 1/2 hour of watching 6 fighting/crying/screaming children, your meager few will seem quiet, peaceful and ever so manageable.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

A heartbreaking way to start the day

California is reporting a 52% yes vote on Prop 8 with 94% of the polls reporting.

And in order to find those results on CNN.com I was treated with the information that Arizona and Florida each passed their own bans on gay marriage, while Arkansas has passed a proposition making it illegal for gay couples to adopt children.

So, yes, I shed some tears of happiness last night about Obama...tears that were only slightly related to pregnancy hormones.

This morning I cry a different way entirely.

We might have taken a giant step as a nation, but nation...we still have a long way to go.

My only consolation -- nearly half of California (more than 4.8 million people) voted against 8. Hardly a landslide.