Rosie The Riveter

Posted in family, Family Values, generational changes, History, The Work Force, Women by

Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon of the United States, representing the American women who worked in factories during World War Two, many of whom produced munitions and war supplies.

 These women sometimes took entirely new jobs replacing the male workers who were in the military. Rosie the Riveter is commonly used as symbol of feminism and women’s economic power.

The term “Rosie the Riveter” was first used in 1942 in a song of the same name written by Redd Evans and John Loeb. The song was recorded by many artists, including the popular big band leader Kay Kyser, and became a national hit.

 The song portrays ” Rosie” as a tireless assembly line worker, doing her part to help American war effort. The words of the song are: All the day long. Whether rain or shine, She’s part of the assembly line. She’s making history. Working for victory, Rosie the Riveter.

Although women took on male dominated trades during World War two, they were expected to return to their everyday housework once men returned from the war. Government campaigns targeting women were addressed solely at housewives, perhaps because already employed women would move up to the higher-paid essential jobs on their own, perhaps because it was assumed that most would be housewives. One government advertisement asked women “Can you use an electric mixer? If so, you can learn to use a drill.

 Propaganda was also directed at their husbands, many of whom were unwilling to support such jobs. Later, many women returned to traditional work such as clerical or administration positions, despite their reluctance to re-enter the lower paying fields. However, some of these women continued working in the factories.

Rosie the Riveter became most closely associated with another real women, Rosie Will Monroe. She worked as a riveter at the Willow Run Aircaft Factory in Michigan, building B-29 and B-24 bombers for the U. S. Army Air Forces.

Monroe achieved her dream of piloting a plane when she was in her 50s and her love of flying resulted in an accident that contributed to her death 19 years later. Monroe was asked to star in a promotional film about the war effort at home. The song Rosie the Riveter” was popular at the time and Monroe happened to match the woman depicted in the song.

Rosie went on to become perhaps the most widely recognized icon of the era. The films and posters she appeared in were used to encourage women to go to work in support of the war effort.

According to the Encyclopedia of American Economic History, “Rosie the Riveter” inspired a social movement that increased the number of working American women to 20 million by 1944, a 57% increase from 1940. By 1944 only 1.7 million unmarried men between the ages of 20 and 34 worked in the defense industry,while 4.1 million unmarried between those ages did so. What unified the experiences of these women was that they proved to themselves and the country that they could a “man’s job” and could do it well. The average man working in a wartime plant was paid $54.65 per week, while women were paid about $31.50 per week.

Some claim that she forever opened the work force for women, while others dispute that point, noting that many women were discharged after the war and their jobs were given to returning servicemen.

These critics claim that when peace returned few women returned to their wartime positions and instead resumed domestic vocations or transferred into sex-type occupations such as clerical and service work.

Some historians emphasize that the changes were temporary and that immediately after the war was over women were expected to return to traditional roles of wives and mothers. Finally for the first time the working woman dominated the public image and women were riveting housewives in slacks, not mother domestic beings, or civilizers.”

On October 14,200, the Rosie the Riveter/ World War Two Home Front National historical Park was opened. In Richmond, California, site of the four Kaiser shipyards, where thousands of “Rosie’s” from around the country worked. Although ships at the Kaiser shipyards were not riveted, but rather welded. Over 200 former Rosie’s attended the ceremony.

 Most recently Christina Aguilera, emulates the famous Andrews Sisters vocal harmonies of the WW-Two Era. While wearing a red bandanna and shot with the era’s vintage Technicolor processing scheme, Christina gives the famous “Rosie” pose, with fist-up, and right hand on biceps. What is it about “Rosie the Riveter” that we just can’t seem to get enough of?

The History Of Wedding Cakes

Posted in Bakeries, Baking, Cup Cakes, Life, Love, Romace, T.V., traditions, Wedding Cakes by

A wedding cake in the U.S. is  traditionally  served to guests at a wedding reception. In parts of England it may be served at a wedding breakfast. In Western culture, it is usually a large cake, multi-layered or tiered, and heavily decorated icing, usually over a layer of  marzipan or fondant.

Achieving a dense, strong cake that can support the decorations while remaining edible can be considered the epitome of the baker’s art and skill.

The modern wedding cake was first inspired by this church steeple in London and it’s far from being a the modern wedding cake paste frosting used on many wedding cakes was invented in 1888. In 1902 the pillars used to support the tiers of the layer cake were developed.

Wedding cake toppers are small models that sit on top of the cake that normally represent a bride and groom in formal wedding attire. This custom was dominant in U.S. wedding in the 1950s where it represented the concept of togetherness. Wedding toppers today are often figures that show shared hobbies or other passions if used at all.

Another trend is “Wedding Cupcakes.” They imitate the tiers of a wedding cake, the cupcakes are on a stand and decorated in the wedding colors.

In Britain and Ireland a cup might be called a fairy cake because of its fairy-like wings.

Gourmet cupcakes are larger and filled cupcakes, based around a variety of flavor themes, such as Tiramisu or Cappuccino.

Every bride and groom deserves a wedding cake or a wedding cupcake, from white tiers dripping down with sugared blooms to chocolate layers topped with fruit. Now days brides can watch Bakers like the “Cake Boss” which is a reality series on TLC to get ideas. This is the first generation of brides to be able to do this.

As one commentator puts it, “we’re in the golden age of cake television.” From “Ace of Cakes” and ” Ultimate Cake Off,”  to  “Last Cake Standing” and “Wedding Cake Wars,” cake programs are everywhere.

In the last three years you couldn’t turn the channel without landing on one of these sugar-soaked shows. ” Cake Boss” is arguable the most successful and highest rated of the bunch. Now seen in 180 countries, it has achieved near cult status, attracting  visitors from Hoboken ,N.J.‘ from as far away as Japan. What’s a Bride to do these days so many cakes and so little time?

Moms Night Out

Posted in Chidren, family, grandkids, Grandparenting, Moms by

Throughout history moms have been applauded for their ability to do many different roles.

Some moms are cab drivers. “I’ll pick you up after school.” No computer for one hour for hitting your brother. Still others fashion consultants: Don’t forget your coat its cold outside or great at compromises; tonight’s special is pizza or pizza. Which can I interest you in?

Moms seem to have three pairs of eyes. One pair that see through closed doors another in the back of her head and,of course, the ones in front that can look at their child when they goof up and say I understand and I love you without so much as uttering a word.

Moms deliver their lines with laughter, smiles or a straight face and they always have a twinkle in their eyes because they know they’re responsible for the well-being of their children. Whether they are burping a three-month baby, wrestling with a two-year old girl who wants to put glue in her hair, or comforting a six-year-old boy who didn’t make the team. Moms always know what to say. Don’t they? 

With their knowledge and insight into the hearts of their babies whether two-months or twenty-six moms may not have all the answers. But they know the best answer is usually just a smile and a hug. Because that’s what moms do best. Forget the applause! Moms can take home all the trophies and awards . But the biggest reward is always love of their children.

Motherhood is like Albania you can’t trust the brochures you have to go there. Oh! What a power motherhood is possessing a potent spell. Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.

When you have your own children they’re a part of you and part not-you and then they get away from you and part of you goes with them. But you have to try to remember that part of you that’s you and not them. That way, you can let them go. It’s been said that a mother is not a person to lean on but a person to make leaning unnecessary. 

Moms dilemma is to clean the house or girls night out? I say choose the girls night out. The trouble with cleaning the house is that it gets dirty the next day anyway. So skip a week if you have to. The children are the most important thing and moms night out is important for moms too. 

Moms should never miss a girls night out is because their children will grow up and leave and their girlfriends don’t. Dads and grandparents love moms night out with the girls because they get to spend time with the kids.  

Create A Family Value’s List

Posted in Chidren, family, Family Values, grandkids, Grandparenting, Life by

 What are your top five family values?  What traits do you hope your child or grandchildren will have as an adult? 

 Using the following five strategies in the acronym “TEACH”  can help you decide which traits really mean the most to you.

T- Target the value you want to apply right this minute in your home. Focus on only one at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed and spin you wheels trying to do to much. Many moms and grandmothers target a different key value each month. Write down your choices so you don’t forget.

E- Exemplify this value in your own everyday behavior. The easiest way for children and grandchildren to learn any new value is by actually seeing it in action. So intentionally start looking for ways to tune up your chosen value anytime you’re with your children or grandchildren.

A- Accentuate the targeted value in simple ways. For example, if respect is your targeted value seize the opportunity to make a point about treating all people with dignity by showing respect to the people in your life. 

C-Catch your children displaying the value and praise them for it. ” Hey, I know it was hard to admit you broke your brother’s hockey stick. I appreciate your honesty.

H- Highlight the value of the value. ” I loved how you smiled at Grandma today. That was being really kind. Did you see how her face lit up? Whenever you’re kind, it helps make the world a better place.” Whenever you highlight a value be sure you name the value and tell your child exactly how they made a different.

Here is an example of a few values : assertiveness, caring, charitableness, courage, excellence, fairness, friendliness, dependability, determination, generosity, helpfulness, honesty,industriousness, kindness, joyousness, politeness, tolerance, understanding, unselfishness, wisdom, purposefulness and a hundred more words that describe family values. This is something that grandparents can do to.

Don’t Forget To Relax With Your Kids

Posted in Chidren, family, grandkids, Grandparenting, Time, traditions by

Suppose your children were asked what one thing they really wish they could change about their family. That very question was asked of eighty-four thousand students in grades six through twelve who recently completed a USA Weekend survey.

 It turns out that almost two-thirds of kids surveyed said that what the kids said was they wanted was not just more time but relaxed time. The kind of time a kid would consider as just plain “fun.” No expectations, no stress and no frantic pace. It’s the kind of time that creates family togetherness that relaxed, carefree time is also what kids crave and need.

Here are a few simple ways to create relaxed family time.

  • Nighttime rituals: read a nighttime story; remind each other of the best part of the day; give hugs and kisses goodnight.
  •  Special greetings and ways to say “I love You”: rub noses for an “Eskimo kiss“; create your own family funny hugs.
  •  Celebration of successes: hang a flag on the front door when something special has happened to a family member:use a “fancy” plate at the dinner table when a family member has done something to deserve recognition.
  •  Birthday memories: each family member chooses his or her favorite birthday menu, cake, outing, and song to be piped through the household as a birthday” wake-up” call. Some families even hang a family member’s shirt on a flagpole or broomstick stuck in the front lawn to let the world (or at least the neighborhood) know it’s that person’s special day.
  •  Frivolous fun: Fly kites on Groundhog Day; play practical jokes on April Fool’s Day.
  •  Sports and outdoors: Go fishing on Father’s Day; be die-hard Chargers fans together.
  •  Volunteering and service projects: bake an extra turkey for Mrs.Jones on Thanksgiving; serve Christmas Eve dinner at the homeless shelter or help out at another,less “popular” time of year. Help your favorite charity as a family once a week or month.
  •  Enjoying each others company: spread a rug or towel on your living room floor,gather the troops, put on some up beat music, and serve simple sandwiches, finger food, and boxed drinks. Who says you have to go somewhere to have a good time together?
  •  Family Game Night: dust off the Chutes and Ladders, Yahtzee, Monopoly, Candy land, Go Fish, or that old deck of cards. Older kids might like Trouble, Uno, Kerplunk, Risk, or Porker. Some families hold Family Game Night once a week for thirty minutes to an hour. Have an assortment of games and let a different family members choose what you play each time.

I read the other day that research has proven that doing simple rituals enhances our feelings of togetherness and family belonging by almost 20 percent. What’s more those home traditions and customs also increase our kid’s social skills and development. So what are you doing to keep memories of your times together for your kids?  Good ol’ fun sounds like time spent at grandma’s house. Doesn’t it?

Generational Changes For Women

Posted in family, generational changes by

If you were to ask my grandmother if she was full filled she would shrug her shoulders and tell you that of course she was full filled.

 My grandmother was not like most of the women of her generation she was a working woman with four children.

However she did have some advantages she only worked while her children were in school and her husband helped with the kids home work and after school activities. He also enjoyed cooking.

My grandparents worked as a team and shared the household chores and the demands that came with raising four children. Wow! they were way a head of their generation.Weren’t they?  Other than grandma’s co-workers, her friends were stay at home moms and homemakers. When I asked her if she felt that her friends resented her or looked down on her for working. She said, Oh Know! Why would they? However they did think that your grandpa was a bit odd for taking care of the kids too but that was it. She said that she resented working and getting paid less than the male school teachers. Sound familiar?

We who are the granddaughters of that generation were taught to believe that kitchen is a confining word. To our contemporaries the words “occupation Housewife” are verboten and we are not permitted to be full or filled with the sounds and smells of the household. This is a generation that came of age during the women’s movement and has had to cope with the greatest sociological changes since man began recording history.

We are the generation that carved a new definition of woman a definition that gave us some excellent middle-management jobs and a strong taste of prejudice, discrimination, and anger. Executives found that women were very good in our jobs, and what made us even better was the fact that women were all willing to do more for less. It was those very virtues that made us the enemy of the working man.

Women helped this low-cost employment force (women began to look like the Far East American help) gain credibility because through our magazines and speeches and leaders, we condoned society that frowned on women who didn’t work and assumed that any dummy (like our mothers) could raise a terrific kid. We looked of equality, and what we got was a new definition of equality: it said that woman was equal to doing man’s work– and her own — and at the same time. We created a beautiful myth about the woman who have it all. She could be thin and rich and powerful. We encouraged our daughters to enroll in women’s study courses, and we talked about their futures and the way they would run their homes in th future.

And then lo and behold our daughters got married and they wondered what we were talking about. They were so tiered they couldn’t even call us to complain. They were so busy running from work to the house that they were each willing—-personally–to march across Helen Gurley Brown‘s desk and tell her that she was full of beans.  

During those years we found ourselves saying that all women who were now thirty-five would want to switch 180 degrees in ten years. That is, we reported to anyone who would listen , all women who are 35 and in the work force on an upwardly mobile path would like to be home with children in ten years, and all women now at home with children in ten years, like to be on an upwardly mobile career path.

The other day my friend Elizabeth made a mistake of saying in front of her daughter you’re wrong she said quickly. All children I have learned are quick to say, you’re wrong, slower to say, you’re right.

She went on to explain,”My friends–except for me — don’t expect to go back to work. They like staying home. They like playing with their children, and some even like cooking and entertaining. They never want to work again.” Her sister agreed (she’s a mother of three boys). “The women in the park where she takes her children don’t want to go back to work. You know, she confided,”it’s not great working when our children are young.  

I would like to think that this generation of women appreciate what the earlier generations women accomplished. It’s possible for women today to be Betty Crocker‘s or Rosie the riveters if you want to work or not. The women of earlier generations helped pioneer the way I wonder what this generation of mothers will be pioneering for their daughters? 

Best Friends Dance In The Moonlight

Posted in Life by

It is chance that makes sisters, but hearts that make friends. Our girlfriends are a reminder of the blessings that come from closeness and  sharing secrets. We Learn about life together. 

Our girlfriends are the ones who believe in us, the ones we can call on anytime, the ones who never lets us down. They fill a unique space in our lives. They have a piece of our very heart and soul and because of them we know without a doubt that love can get through anything.

Our girlfriends are the ones we feel whole with, the ones we share who we really are. They are the ones who know where we’re coming from. They are the ones who know all we’ve been through, and everything we dream about. We wouldn’t trade our friendships with them for anything. Nothing else could ever begin to bring us the contentment, the craziness, the laughter, and all the thousands of things we share. We understand that life isn’t always the brightest, and we take turns cheering each other up and sometimes we don’t need to apologize for our bad days.

Who else can we call at any hour of the day or night? Who else accepts and understands all of us no matter what comes along good or bad they’ll be there. Knowing this brings us great comfort. Doesn’t it?  We have a trust, honesty, and a history together that make us think of them as more than a friend.

They are the center of the circle of our lives and they are a precious part of so many yesterdays. With our girlfriends we don’t have to be fancy or talk in a special way. We don’t have to mind my manners or wear my best clothes and shoes. We don’t have to count calories or act like we are someone we aren’t. With our girlfriends we can cry or laugh out loud.

We can dance in the moonlight together. We can speak our mind or say nothing at all depending on our mood. We don’t have to try hard to impress them or think of important things to say. With our girlfriends everything is important. We can just be ourselves and we really appreciate that. Don’t we? 

 Girlfriends understand each other completely we will wear pretty dresses with flowers in our hair and hum songs to the beat of children’s laughter. We will say nothing at times and that silence will be our greatest solace. Other times we will talk for hours or until the sun sinks into night. We will remember then the days when life was defined by complexity and when we vowed our friendship would last a lifetime. Regardless if you are friends by chance or by heart don’t forget to dance in the moonlight!

The Golden Princess

Posted in family, generational changes, Grandparenting, Humor, Travel by

Baby Boomers are cruising to places like Alaska, the Caribbean, New Zealand, Australia, and Italy and where ever the cruise ships will take them.

My friend Ruby‘s nick name is the “Golden Princess.” Ruby announced to her family and friends that she has decided to go on a Princess cruise instead of going to a nursing home. When we asked her why? She quickly answered, “It’s better than a nursing home and cheaper too!

She went on to explain to me that a nursing home costs about 200 dollars per day. The cost aboard a Princess cruise? About 145 dollars per day(with senior-citizen discounts). Add 10 dollars per day for gratuitous, and you’re still ahead! Make that 15 dollars and the staff will be begging to treat you like a queen!

She considered these amenities:

1. Ten great meals a day (the last one at midnight even has an ice sculpture!). If you can’t make it to one of the great dinning rooms, you can order room service and have breakfast in bed every day of the week.

2. Free toothpaste, razors, soap, and shampoo.

3. TV repaired, lightbulbs changed, mattress replaced. Energetic young men and women will fix anything and everything and apologize for your inconvenience.

4. Free sheets and towels every day without asking.

5. Free housekeeping and friendly folks come in each day to clean the bathroom, make the bed, and vacuüm.

6. Three swimming pools, a work out room, free washers and dryers, all without maintenance fees or other costs.

7. Floor shows and other entertainment available every night.

8. The opportunity to meet new and interesting people every seven to fourteen days.

9. Treated like a customer, and not a patient. “Yes, ma’am! “Of course, ma’am!” Will there be anything else, ma’am?”

10.The opportunity to travel the seas and visit exotic places.

Like most baby boomers I’ve given serious thought about the golden years. I have decided that becoming a “Golden Princess” on a cruise ship is the most appealing way to go. 

Grandparents Can Bring Back Letter Writing

Posted in Chidren, generational changes, grandkids, Grandparenting, Letters, Technology, traditions by

In this age of cell phones, Email, faxes, letter writing is an all but forgotten practice and most young children have never written a letter.

 Now days we talk to our friends on our cell phones it rarely occurs to us to write a letter. When was the last time your received a nice long juicy letter?  Having grandchildren is an excellent opportunity to revive an old custom.

One of the most important things to remember about letters is that they are both a form of communications for the present and a record for the future. Ask your grandchildren to keep a copy of your letters, but to be on the safe side, keep a copy yourself. When I was a young girl my grandmother and I wrote letters. I would read her letters ( and my replies) they were full of grandmotherly advice. I still have a few of the letters she sent, and I treasure them dearly, even though they are more than forty years old. I only wish they contained more details.

Even if your grandchildren don’t appreciate the letters now they will in the future. Letter writing is only one way of fulfilling your role of family historian. Don’t limit yourself to writing standard letters. Even your youngest grandchildren can look at pictures and if you have the skill of drawing you can send one of your drawing to them. 

As they get older you can send them picture letters where the message is conveyed by a few pictures or drawings about things they are interested in. If there’s a cartoon or comic strip you think your grand-daughter would appreciate send it to her. As they get older you can send them a disposable camera with an addressed and stamped mailing envelope and ask them to take pictures of anything they want and send them to you. And don’t forget to send pictures and postcards when you travel!

Once children get used to the idea that there may be letters arriving containing news, pictures, stories and other treats intended especially for them, they will come to look forward to them. Despite all our technological advances, most people I know feel a little rush of anticipation when they open their mail and hidden in among the bills, solicitations, and magazines is a personal letter or a post card.

Twentieth-century technology has vastly changed out ability to communicate over distance. Although it hardly seems believable today, at the end of World War Two only half of American homes had a telephone. Even in the late 1950s as many as a quarter of households had no telephone. Our grandchildren will probably find it just as hard to imagine that in 1990 only 27th percent of U.S. households had a computer!

 For hundreds of years or at least since pens and paper became commonplace and people who wanted to get in touch with other people separated by distance had only one way to do it. They wrote letters it was the only means of long-distance communication, at least until the telegraph was invented in the 19th century. 

Today the schools are considering replacing cursive writing with texting and key boarding. Grandparents can start hand writing letters and have their grandchildren write back to them. There are hundreds of fun subjects to write about while creating letters that in the future will become keepsakes.

When Eyes Meet

Posted in Love, relationships, Spiritual by

I love to read stories about how people met and fell in love. Most love stories start by telling us about the first time the characters eyes met.

The stories start with a glance. When a man and womans eyes meet from across the room or like in some of the 1940’s movies when man mets woman in a train station. Soon they communicate with words and then with their bodies but it was their eyes that made first contact. Eye contact is vital in every relationship isn’t it?  When spoken into space the words “I love you” lose half their meaning maybe even all of it. It’s when you say those words while looking into your partner’s eyes that they mean the most.

Our eyes can express feelings that words can’t. When your eyes say ” I missed you,” I adore you,” I’m angry with you,” or ” I trust you” your spouse knows how you really feel with or without words. And when you use your eyes with our words, they add an emphasis that can’t be missed.

So try to spend some time each day looking into each other’s eyes. You’ll be expressing yourselves in a way that words can’t duplicate. Tip: If your spouse can’t look into your eyes, there’s another type of message being communicated. Don’t ignore such a sign but try to get to the bottom of it. The earlier you spot trouble in a relationship and make repairs, the easier it will be. The story of life is quicker than a blink of an eye, the story of love is hello and goodbye. ~ Jimi Hendrix

A Change Of Scenery

Posted in Love, relationships, Romace by

A change of scenery works wonders. Whether your home  has one room or twenty your home is your castle. But the more hours we spend inside our castle the more claustrophobic it can become as the walls grow ever closer they begin to squeeze out all the love.

 A breath of fresh air not only replenish’s your lungs but will inspire romance. If people even lovers are forced together long enough yawns begin to fill the air, tempers fray and love disappears. When the walls start their inward march and cabin fever set in there’s a simply prescription to restore your life and your love its a change of scenery.

It can be as simply as a walk around the block or as breathtaking as a trip around the world or anything in between. The important thing is to have a look at some new surroundings that will inspire you. It also won’t hurt if this trip involves a little exercise. When we get our physical heart pumping the good chemical reaction activity triggers will give a boost to your emotional heart. So even if you have to drive to reach your eventual destination, let your feet help you explore the area.

A Tip:If its pouring outside or there’s a blizzard raging take out some photos of one of your favorite vacations and use them to inspire the two of you. Then all you have to do is open the windows even a crack to add some freshly oxygenated air to complete you’re at home voyage. Bon Voyage!

Dare To Do Things Differently

Posted in Love, relationships, Romace, Spiritual, Uncategorized by

As we go through life, there are danger signs everywhere: red lights and stop signs,speed bumps and blinking lights, and circles with a red line piercing our hearts.

When it comes to relationships, visible warning signs are few and far between. Sometimes the greatest perils come tiptoeing in sight unseen, and one of the most lethal of these sneaky assassins of ardor is boredom.

Before it drains the power of your love, sweep that gray fog of boredom aside by adding energy. In the same way the warming rays of the sun dissipate a fog, energy can pierce the grayness of your love. All you have to do is: converse, move, run, jump, ski, walk, go. It doesn’t matter where or how. All that matters is that you do something. The more you do, the further away you’ll push boredom, and the stronger your love and friendship will be. Beware, too, that sometimes boredom wears a disguise. It’s called routine. Routines are very necessary in life, especially when there’s so much to do, but they have a serious side effect, which is boredom.

The key to using routines wisely is to break them regularly instead of doing the expected, do the unexpected. If you always eat dinner at five, then one night a week, eat at eight or nine or ten. Every once in a while use your fingers instead of your fork and knife. If the thought creeps into your head to throw a grape at your love then do it!

 If you pass by him or her and they are washing their hands at the sink pull their pants down to their knees.  (Not in front of the kids). Sleep on the other side of the bed once in a while. Slip a $20 to a homeless person. Wear something unexpected to bed. Drive the long way home. It doesn’t matter what it is that you do that’s different it only matters that you do different things regularly.

Time Is Marching On

Posted in generational changes, Grandparenting, Movies, relationships, Time by

One of my favorite cinematic scenes is in the movie Steele Magnolias.  

Truvy Jones (played by Dolly Parton) is standing on the porch of beauty salon talking with young  Annette ( played by Daryl Hannah)  “Honey”  Truvy says, ” Time is marching on-and it is marching all over my face.”  

No words were truer than this time is marching on and not only is it marching all over my face but it has taken over my whole body. As I recognize this phenomenon of aging I’m reminded that I’ve earned every wrinkle. Every year their numbers increase. We’ve been together so long, that we are becoming good friends. But not such good friends, that I wouldn’t agree to have them  removed. Like un-friending a friend on Facebook.

I’ve  always wondered if wrinkles could talk what they might say? Perhaps the lines on my forehead would say?  I waited up for my children when they missed their curfew, started driving or went out on their first dates.

 However, there is another way to look at these characteristic indention. Maybe the lines on my forehead show how much time I’ve spent thinking about those I love or studying the world around me and finding it good. The lines around my mouth might come from the many times I ‘ve stood in awe and smiled at a beautiful sunset over the ocean.  Or smiled at a flower as it began to bloom as I walked through the rose garden in Balboa Park in San Diego and smiled at how wonderful creation is. I’m sure that some of the lines around my mouth and eyes are from the gift of laughter. Anyone who knows me knows I laugh a lot.

Perhaps the lines around my eyes are laugh lines memory boards that hold the experiences of my life that I have enjoyed and participated in the most.  Occasionally my girlfriends and I would get together. We use to laugh and joke with each other about ageing.

 Now many decades later we wish that the beauty secrets in ” Grandma’s Little Beauty” remedy books would do the trick. But the reality is it takes money, money, money, to remove all our lines. What is a girl to do these days with all the choices we have?

When Hearts Are Like A Deck Of Cards

Posted in Dreams, Love, Quotes, relationships, Songs, Spiritual by

 Kenny Rogers, performs a song called The Gambler  and the lyrics can be used as a metaphor for life. The song is full of words of discernment and choices, the message is universal.

Whether you have a pair or a full house, our job is to learn to live with cards we are dealt. Our world would do well to emulate Kenny Rogers’ wisdom. We collect many cards and if you check closely surely there are some winners in there somewhere. It’s not too late to reshuffle the deck or is it?  Somehow we must find a way to discard the unused cards and deal with the cards we are dealt.

In the song Kenny Rogers explains to us in order to play the game you got to know when to let go, when to hold them and when to fold ’em that doesn’t just apply to playing cards it applies to many different situations in life doesn’t it?

You got to know when to let go. You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em, Know when to walk away, know when to run.  You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table. There’ll be time enough for countin’, when the dealin’s done. Every gambler knows the secret to survivin,’ is knowin’ what to throw away, knowin’ what to keep. Cause every hand’s a winner, and every hand’s a loser.

Pulling out an Ace at the proper time makes us all winners. We have to learn when to hold ’em, when to deal ’em, when to fold, and when to go for a full house.

 Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could just hit a reshuffle button called the deck of life? What if every time we ran from a dream, relationship, or an unwanted issue in life you could hit a reshuffle button? What if like magic the cards would fall the way we wanted them to? Wouldn’t it be awesome if we knew the secret to surviving? Wouldn’t it be awesome if there was reshuffle button?

We do have a reshuffle button it’s in the belief of yourself it allows you to follow your heart and your dreams. You like everyone else will make mistakes but as long as you are true to the strength within your own heart you can never go wrong. In some ways our hearts are like a deck of cards and every once in a while it needs to be reshuffled.

“IT’S ALL COMING BACK TO ME NOW”

Posted in relationships, Songs, Spiritual by

“It’s All Coming Back To Me Now”  is a power Ballad about romantic loss and regret built on a spooky yet heart wrenching piano melody. 

 The torment is present in these opening words ” There were nights when the wind was so cold that my body froze in bed.  

 The song was written by Jim Steinman and The novel ” Wuthering Heights” published in 1845 was his inspiration. This ballad was his attempt to write the most passionate, romantic song he could create. It was recorded by Celine Dion for her album “Falling into You” and made into a video.

 It is one of my favorite video’s for many reasons and the words in this ballad can apply whether you have experienced a break up with someone you deeply cared about, whether death has taken a loved one, whether you have had a feud with a friend or a family member.

    “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now”

There were nights when the wind was so cold that my body froze in bed I just listened to it right outside the window. There were days when the sun was so cruel that all the tears turned to dust  and I knew my eyes were drying up forever.

I finished crying in the instant that you left and I can’t remember where or when or how. I banished every memory you and I had ever made. But when you touch me like this and you hold me like that I just have to admit. That it’s all coming back to me when I touch you like this and I hold you like that.  It’s so hard to believe but it’s all coming back to me now.

 There were moments of gold and there were flashes of light. There were things I’d never do again. But then they’d always seemed right. There were nights of endless pleasure. It was more than any laws allow. Baby, Baby. If I kiss you like this and if you whisper like that it was lost long ago.  But it’s all coming back to me Ii you want me like this and if you need me like that it was dead long ago but it’s all coming back to me.

It’s so hard to resist and it’s all coming back to me. I can barely recall but it’s all coming back to me now. But it’s all coming back there were those empty threats and hollow lies and when you tried to hurt me . I just hurt you even worse and so much deeper.

There were hours that just went on for days when alone at last we’d count up all the chances that were lost to us forever. But you were history with the slamming of the door and I made myself so strong again somehow. And I never wasted any of my time on you since then. But if I touch you like this and if you kiss me like that. It was so long ago but it’s all coming back to me. If you touch me like this and if I kiss you like this. It was gone with the wind but it’s coming back to me now.   

I skipped down to the last part of the lyric’s if you forgive me all this, if I forgive you all that. We forgive and forget and it’s all coming back to me. When I see you like that we see what we want to see it’s all coming back to me. The flesh and the fantasies are all coming back to me now.

The words in this ballad are not the most positive but they do express how some people feel and experience their grief for a season when they lose love. The video by Celine Dion called “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” can be watched on U tube