Mother and Daughter:

*****

St. Anne, the mother of Mary.
St. Anne, grandmother of Jesus.
Pray for all mothers and daughters.

Enjoy Your Day:

Read Surf 

 Enjoy your whole day.R & R

                                                        I pledge allegiance to the flag...

Memorial Day Weekend:

*****


This is the time of the year that we remember the dead.
The last time I was home I knew more people here than I did living in houses!


The red glads have been placed on the stones since the 1950's every year.
I can't leave my hometown without a visit...it's like saying good-bye again.


It was rather nice walking along the quiet flag filled paths and reminiscing  about old friends.
We laughed and cried and were amazed at the beauty of the grounds.


Do you visit cemeteries?
Have you made your arrangements?


Just a thought as I bring my 1 year of blogging to an end.
I said I would do this and I have.
 Now what?
I'll sleep on it!

Fly the Flag:

                                                               In Honor of Memorial Day.

Self-appraisal for Caregivers:

On this Memorial Day weekend I think we tend to think about
all those who have gone before us. Our cemeteries are filled
with flowers and the flags blow in the wind as we prepare
for summer. I finished a course and am sharing a
very small section...the answers are very personal for each one.

End-of-Life Care
*****
How aware are you of your own death?
Have you thought about your limited lifespan?
Have you experienced a fear of death? 

Interestingly, a normal adult thinks about death an average of one to three times each day.
 However, days may pass without a thought of death. Then, depending on what happens in our life, one may incessantly ponder mortality on other days.
Being aware of one's vulnerabilities helps to give some degree of control over our response to it.


* National Center of Continuing Education, Inc. for Nurses. End-of-Life Care, page 19.

Celebrations:

• 

  ***
  To everyone who shares this day with me...
  I'm glad you were born. Happy Birthday.

Celebrating:

When I turned  the big "5-0" I invited a group of people to my house for a party.
My birthday (May 25) happened to fall on the Memorial Day weekend.
A friend made a wreath of flowers for my hair and I was the queen for a day.


Each "home-made" gift came with a story and we all hooted and hollered.
It was so much fun and very memorable.
My favorite and last gift was from a big burly wounded Viet Nam Vet who, with tears in his eyes, gave me
the small flag  he carried  in the parade that morning.
 He didn't say anything but Happy Birthday... and I was touched deeply.


"Celebration" comes out of my mouth in a tune while I move side to side.
My fingers click and I'm happy. You know...sellllll- a- braaaa  aa shun, ummhmm!


I am just getting prepared to celebrate the whole weekend and REMEMBER...

Reminders of Childhood:

***


Playing paper dolls is popular if you're a child in the 1950's.
First you cut out the outfit and then you fold the tabs down
and hope they stay on the thicker paper image. Your friend does the same thing
or else you play by yourself and make another one...
using your imagination and acting out a story.


The last time I saw paper dolls was in a book store in the vintage section. If your child  or grandchild played
paper dolls or "house" today... what type of story would she tell?
Children mimic their parents and other things that are happening.


When  there is incest in a family the wife is groomed, manipulated and betrayed. The husband
will molest each daughter. So often I hear of the oldest child telling when she becomes aware that
the dad or step dad is now molesting a younger sister in the household. 


Pay attention to the stories you hear from the children...
about the teachers, coaches, bus drivers, ministers, friend's parents, neighbors, etc.
No one is exempt  in a child's life. It crosses all boundaries of color, race and creed.


Have a conversation about sexual behavior.

Writing Prompt:

                                         painted by Keith

Mom and Chicken Feed:

 I thought about my mother again today. I think about her a lot in May because we celebrated our birthdays and Memorial Day together in the same week every year.

The sign outside the pet store stopped me in my tracks. I laughed out loud and then took out my camera. The paper said,"chicken feed." My mother used these words in her every day language and we didn't live on a farm. She'd ask me if I had any chicken feed?  I'd reach into my pocket and show her my chicken feed... a quarter and a nickel and 2 dimes!

She always called her change, chicken feed. Anyone else ever do that??

Sunday the 20th:

For two days I thought it was the 19th. Therefore these seem out of sequence but they are not! SORRY.

I have also been distracted in memory remembering a very dear person, Janice Hartman. We were both born at the same hospital and in the same town, only 5 days apart and met on the first day of college. We came from two different states. May she Rest In Peace. Not a year goes by since 1965 that I haven't thought of her on her birthday. God bless her family.

Make a Spectacle of Yourself:

***

"When you change the way you look at things,
the things you look at change." 
                                               -Wayne Dyer

    What do you need to see differently?

 Does personal experience make a difference?

Are you okay changing your mind?

        What about adult peer pressure...do you believe in it?

                    A woman asked me today when she reads my book:

                    "Under My Roof~ a Mother's Story of the Heinous Crime of Incest,"

                  Will she want to walk on the other side of the street and pretend she doesn't know me?

 I certainly hope not...but whatever she feels is quite okay.

                                        

                   After you read the book, you just might see some things differently.

                          And I hope it becomes a topic of discussion or a book club pick.

                           A discussion sheet is available for book clubs by calling (831)476-8541

         I hope all of you see yourself as being responsible to help stop Child Sexual Abuse.

Marilyn Monroe:

***
 I think the key word is DISCIPLINE.

That is not as easy as one would think. It deals with nearly everything we do.


It can involve choices  of foods at a party."I really shouldn't eat this...but, oh well."

Sitting in a movie theater and  watching  trash and you say, "I should really get up and leave,"but you stay.

You think something weird is going on with a man and his daughter and you chose to "mind your own business!"


None of these things make you feel better about yourself. Do what you know is right.

How about:

Instead of yelling at the dog or kids, you get up and go find out what's wrong.*

Instead of leaving the house early, finish making your bed and  toss those
few dishes into the dishwasher.*

Instead of just sitting there,walk a few extra steps during the day and park in the spot at the end.*

And most of all if you think something is  not right with a man and his daughter...report your suspicions to the police. 


Pray for the grace of discipline.
We will be better people for it.

Confucius say:

***

"Those who cannot forgive others break the bridge over which they themselves must pass."

-Confucius 

Molestation and Betrayal:

***

My hope is that some day people will have to go to a museum to see
and hear about childhood sexual abuse but
 these crimes will never be forgotten.
It will be history!
Imagine!
 Children going to bed at night without worry of being molested.

I believe in miracles. 
God have mercy.

 Won't you help it happen by talking about it with your friends.
Won't you help by reporting suspicious behavior?
Won't you help by sharing your story?

What you say may be just what someone else needs to hear to heal.

Like Dr. Phil said on his show today called, "Molestation and Betrayal"...
You must tell! You must tell! You must tell!

Flowery Memory Prompts:

***
Hollyhocks

       What are your fondest memories in the yard?

Did you ever make dolls with hollyhocks?

Ever get any honey from the honeysuckle?

Put a dandelion under your chin to see if you liked butter?

Or blew the ghostly dandelion seeds spreading them across the yard?

Ever get blood on your clothes because you were pricked by a rose thorn?

Have you seen crowns made out of real flowers?

Did you ever mow the lawn and get rid of some flowers?

I bet you can think up lots of games you played as a child.

                                                                     Hide and seek?"
                                                                     Wax Doll?
                                                                     Captain May I?
                                                                 

***
Snap Dragons

Help:

***

Let me introduce you to "The Bug!"

This is Herbie's favorite toy.

In fact, it's the ONLY one used for squeak and fetch. We (me and Herbie) have a problem...it's missing.
My dog is blind but he has a good smeller.
I have okay eyesight (wear glasses) and hear okay (hearing aids).
Together you'd think we could find the dirty little thing but it's hiding.

I'm a little bug nuts. Every time I think of a spot where it might be, I stop what I am doing
and go looking again to no avail. It's been two days now. Okay, Time to pull out St. Anthony and ask for an intervention. Any suggestions?  I like playing fetch!
  

#351 Etch a Sketch:

***

Sketch a picture of your house
Tell the story of your family
Pick a title for your cover.

Share it!


I remember when something bad would happen in town.
People talked: "That would never  happen under my roof!"
Well, an attitude of denial is what keeps things brewing.
Anything could happen under your roof and your neighbors and their neighbors.
No one really knows what goes on in anyone else's house.
And the kids know more than you would ever think they know.
Don't frighten them.

Happy Mother's Day

***
Happy Mother's Day
You are missed
You are remembered
I hope you get to eat bread and jelly sandwiches in Heaven.

Love you much



For the many women who have not given birth but have mothered children
adoptive parents, teachers,nuns, nurses and grandmothers.
You know who you are.
God bless you on this day.

Happy Mother's Day:

***

One-liners my Mother said to me and I loved her dearly anyway...


"I've told you nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine times the answer is no!"

"You better watch what you say, young lady!"

"Remember the fork goes on the left side of the plate."

"I never knew where I would find your braids in the morning."

"Sometimes kids are mean. Just ignore them."

"You don't have enough sense to come in out of the rain."

"I don't care if everyone gets to go...you're are not going and that's final!"

         You must have one that sticks with you...Would you please share?

George Burns:

***

"I'd rather be a failure in something that I love

than a success in something that I hate."

                                                                       George Burns (1896 - 1996)

ps. Mr. Burns was at Goodwill... just standing there! This is what he had to say for himself.

The Florence Nightingale Pledge:

***
Happy Nurses Week
***
The Florence Nightingale Pledge taken by Nurses
***
I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.
***
Composed in 1893 by Mrs. Lystra E. Gretter and a committee for the Farrand Training School for Nurses, Detroit, Michigan.

Stop and Look:

 I was sitting out in the warm sun having a frozen yogurt and watching people today.
Of all the cars that stopped at the sign...No one looked both ways. Stop...Count like you were taught, one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three while you are looking to the left and to the right and then ahead. Stop. Just Stop it. This is about protecting each other!

As you can see another way is to keep our sea air fresh. This is at Capitola Beach. All of the tiles are beautiful. It's also nice when people are not smoking at the beach. This again protects our kids.

And last but certainly not least, is stop being so quiet. Stop the Silence. Speak up and out and tell if you suspect child sexual abuse, domestic violence of a friend, relative or neighbor. I hope we all wake up a little more this year and reach out to protect our future of our children and grandchildren. Stop the cycle.

Thank you from every child.  I heard a woman say that when she was a child, she sat on her front step waiting for Child Protective Services to come and save her...but no one reported it ...and no one came.
We cried for her.

Lunch with an Author

I was interviewed by Raven Blair Davis on the "Lunch with an Author" segment on Amazing Women of Power Radio and want to share it with you. Hopefully you will pass it on to others to hear. Thank you.




http://raven.audioacrobat.com/download/caad7c40-922b-5643-f5a8-60d390a0e97f.mp3

Writing Prompt:

***

circa 1978


LOVE

A

gift


from

a

Child


Look around your house for something that tells a story and use it for a writing prompt.
You had better time yourself because if you're like me almost everything in my house has a story.