Friday Freestyles

It is Friday!!!

Freestyles Friday!!!

I don't know what all those exclamation points are about. I am NOT that excited that it is Friday.

It's been hot as hell in my beloved ATL this week. The temps have been in the mid 80s, but it's not all humid out. That's a good thing. That heat plus the humidity ain't no joke, honey. At least it's not cold and raining.

It's the last day of the month ya'll. You do realize that the year is 41.7 percent over, right? That means you better get those new year's revolutions done. Lickety-split! Before you know it, we'll be hollering "MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!"

*throws glitter*

I am bone tired today. I slept okay last night, but I am tired. I had my writing class, and all the driving to get out there has me a bit O_O.

These past two weeks, there has been some straight RATCHETNESS going on when attempting to make the hour trip from downtown Atlanta to beautiful Stone Mountain for class.

Look at the mountain! Ain't it lovely??

Well. You can hardly see it.  Looks like you can see that Citgo gas station a little better. But it is there, just above the tree line. And it is indeed lovely.

Anyway, last week there was a restaurant fire on my route. This week, I got stuck behind a slow MARTA bus that stopped to let people on and off. It was like a funeral procession. I shot around the bus, and lo and behold, there was a wreck! And it blocked the whole entire street! Ambulances and fire trucks.

Hope whoever who got busted up in that accident is alright. Goodness!

So I was late to class. I don't usually flow on CP (colored people) time, but it has been that way the past couple of weeks. It is taking an hour and a half to get there.

It looks like in order to get there at 7:00 pm, I need to leave downtown ATL by 5:15 pm or so.

But it is worth it. I enjoy the instructor, the class exercises, and the whole tone of the class. There is a nice mix of people. It is not judgmental in nature, but I am learning much from the constructive criticism.  Plus I met a really cool sister who can write her tail off. I finished reading her 600 PAGE book, and I was a bit miffed when it ended because it was THAT good.

I don't buy books on paper anymore, because I get it all electronic. I like this ebook thing. Yes Lord.

But uh, this sister? I ordered her book. I want to hold it in my hand and smell the pages. I want to read it again.

And I told her a couple of times... "I want a book so I can get your autograph!"

Yeah, I was really saying "Don't get the notion not to come to class! Don't let me find you! I want your autograph!"

Ya'll know how I can "stalker stan" some negroes. Just ask my favorite author Tayari Jones.

Mmm-Hmmm....

LOL!

I will write a very full, very long review of Solomon's Blues by the GREAT Josephine Garner next week sometimes...

*ladylee bows so low before Josephine that LadyLee's lips touch the ground*

That was a good book. Man oh man.

I like being in that class with Josephine. It's like being in the class with a young Tony Morrison.

Really though.

Grandma.  Man... we had a scare yesterday.

So my sister called me at work yesterday and was sounding kind of down. And she said "Grandma is about to pass."

"What?!!" I replied.

"Mama say the doctor and the chaplain are in the room. She is about to pass."

O_O

Well, I left and went down to the hospital. I am only a few blocks away (I work in midtown, and her hospital is in midtown). I hightail it up there. Kentucky has to hightail it all the way from way out in the southside suburbs.

I get to the hospital, and Grandma is sitting there on the side of her bed with her hands in her lap.

*crickets*

"Hey there," I said.

She waved.

And I look over at my mother. And I automatically think... "This is some of your ol' bull....."

Kentucky arrives. And she is looking a little distraught and confused, just like me. She asks if she can talk to me out in the hall.

She said our mother was hollering about grandma is about to pass. My sister and mother had been fussing that morning.

*blink*blink*

Now this right here? This pissed me COMPLETELY off. I am NOT trying to be caught up in all this tomfoolery. If you have read this blog for any length of time, you know that I do not fool with my dramatic mother. Only when I have to. I have to do all I can to support my sister's desire to maintain some semblance of relationship with our mother, and even she is getting to the point (that interesting 30 something age) where she is realizing that she don't have to put up with this crap from her.

My sister apologized for any confusion caused, and she said she would pay my parking. I told her that was alright. No need. I was livid that she had to rush all the way downtown from so far away.

I know my mother is exasperating her something awful, but they need to leave me out of that crap! I had to tell my sister "Dude! You know I don't get down with all this bullshit!!!"

Excuse my language, ya'll. But man... She will NOT be stressing me out. She can stress my sister out if she wants, but I don't have time for this.

And the thing is, my sister told Mama to call everybody if that is the case. Our Mama is pissed with her siblings, so she doesn't want to call them.

O_O

Boy. I tell you... Ya'll need to keep your friendly neighborhood Oldgirl LadyLee from digging up her Big Black Book of Cuss and knocking SOMEBODY upside the head with it. 

Somebody. Please. Hold. Me. Back.

My goodness.

My sister and I had a very spirted whispery conversation in the hallway. I needed to kick or hit something. But I didn't. I calmed down.

I'm just trying to remain calm. And that means staying as FAR away from all of them as possible. FAR. If I could stowaway on a ship to China I surely would... just to get away from this mess.

But... I want to see my Grandma. And when I was there yesterday, she was quiet. That's not like her. My mother is stressing her. Sigh.

Before my sister got there, Grandma was up walking around with her physical therapist, learning to use her walker.

One good thing happened while I was there. I talked to her physical therapist. That dude has the calmist voice I've ever heard. What's up with that? Jenny, who reads this blog, is a therapist. She has a very calming soothing voice.  Do ya'll take a class in that? Wow!

Anyway, I need a physical therapist. I copped his phone number.

I've been needing one for a couple years. I am really upsetting my doctor with my slow ways.

But this guy is downtown, and I think he can track down exactly who I want and what I want it for. i need someone who works with lupus patients. I need some stretching exercises to go along with my walking. I need to get back to the point where I can turn some wide swooping cartwheels, you see. LOL

And that's a good thing, meeting him. And he's like, a minister or something. That was the positive out of my visit to the hospital yesterday.

And oh yeah... I decided to go to the hospital after my writing class... I got there at 10:30 pm last night.  And grandma was awake. And that lady... she talked non-stop. She talked my ear off! 

I am glad that she could talk unfiltered, and not be muzzled by my mother.

We had the best time. I sat there and crocheted. She has the softest soprano voice, so I had to pull a chair real close to her bed just to listen. She talked of how I took her to the Gladys Knight Chicken and Waffles place long time ago, since it is near her hospital. She remembered my phone number from 20 years ago (I thought she was trying to give me the next cash 3 or cash 4 lotto number).  She talked about some things we did together back in the 70s, when I was a little girl, and I was the only grandchild.

She talked and talked and talked.

The nurse came in and gave her her shot and medicine. And grandma kept on talking.

I remember last year she said to me "I need to be quiet because I talk to much."

I told her "No you don't. You keep talking. There may be a day when you can't talk. So you talk while you can talk. Talk about anything and everything you feel like talking about."

I wanted to tell her "Don't you pay no attention to my Mama. You know she is ratchet! She on that ol' bull....."

I had the best time with Grandma, the hour that I was there with her. She didn't even want me to leave, but I had to get on home and get ready for bed. 

I grabbed her hands and we prayed together.  I gave her a hug and a kiss and I left.

I wish I had a change of clothes so I could stay down there with her and sleep on the couch. But I don't want to run into her any of her kids and their tomfoolery.

I was happy for the stolen hour of time alone I had with her.

My sister has been down there with her too... She is telling my sister all kinds of interesting things. My sister is getting some good revelation on the "why" behind our ratchet family dynamics, and she is passing it along to me.  That's good. I guess Grandma has some things to get off her chest in these last few twilight days.
I got home around 11:45 pm. Oscar-Tyrone was looking a HOT mess because he hadn't eaten since morning. I fed him and then I went on to bed. I think I finally fell asleep around one in the morning.

Retirement.  Congrats to my workplace securtiy guard Ms. Hillery on her retirement!

Go head on, honey. Get on out of this workplace and enjoy your golden years. Oh yeah!

You know, I rarely see her because she works the front desk. I enter the workplace from the back way, the back loading dock. But she was always kind to me. And you NEVER heard a bad word about her. She was a good hard worker and a mother figure to some of the other security guards. (I loved hearing them talk about her, and the good advice and wisdom she offered).

I think that is a strong attribute --- when people smile when they hear your name, and have nothing but great things to say about you. That is worth more than silver and gold indeed. Yes it is.

I went and sowed a nice size seed into her life and told her to enjoy her retirement.

"It's your last day! Don't you work too hard, honey!" I hollered.

She nodded and laughed. And went on and did her work like she usually do!

That really made my day. I was in a funk for a couple hours yesterday, but I have been all good since.

Let the good of the day put the fires of the day completely out!

Video of the week.  I LOVE this song. It's one of my favorites. One fo the early bootleg videos.

"Maybe" by the Three Degrees.



I remember the first time I heard that song. I was rolling down Old National Highway in the pouring down rain and this song came on. I remember thinking "Who the heck is this with all this long preamble with all this talking? When these chicks gonna start sanging the song?"
I love that song now. VERY DRAMATIC. The video is bootleg as all get out.

That's the type of song that make you want to drank some good strong brown liquor with no ice. And smoke a good unfiltered cigarette. Or a blunt.

Just crying-in-your-drank type of music.

My supervisor like this type of song. Sad and drunk and begging some man... I need to send it to her. She would eagerly be a backup sanger in this song... swaying left to right, sanging the chorus... with her glass of brown liquor in her hand.

LOL

I have a big weekend ahead. I hope it's a good one.

You have a good weekend.... by your own design, and not by default... and ON PURPOSE!

A Time to Crochet

So...

If you have been following Aretha, aka, Mrs. Bliss' blog for the last few months, then you will have had the pleasure of walking along on her journey through the interesting world of in vitro fertiliztion.

It definitely appeals to the the scientific part of me because one never thinks about these things and the amazing things that technology can do. I was just thankful to read about it all.

And I've been working on a new blanket for her. I posted the other blanket in this post, along with a picture of the embryos (yes, they are up on my refrigerator door. Honestly, how often do you even get to see something remarkable like that. Alas, it goes up on the wall, the door... up on something).

So I've been on a blanket making campaign. I remember when she announced that they were doing in vitro. I immediately thought "Oh great. Here comes the multiples. Better finish this one, and go on to the next. Lickety-split.

This is what I call a "high class" problem. It is a good one to have.

She is pregnant with twins now. So yes, more than one blanket to be made! GLORY!

Right now, since I don't know what the sex of the babies are, I am making unisex blankets. I will most likely make some more when I know what she is having. But right now, I am making a green and white ripple blanket. I want to make something similar to what I made for my nephew Tristan, aka Milk and Cookies 3.0.

I really like this blanket. It is nice, and it is a fast crochet project.


Unfortunately, since I don't know the sex of the babies, I can't make a sex specific blanket.

So I am making something similar.

I love how blankets start out...

A single chain, crocheted loosely.

It must be crocheted loosely because I must start the first ripples by working my needle into the loose chain links. If it's too tight, I end up fighting with it.

I worked on that while sitting with Grandma at the hospital.

I got pretty far. 5 rows in.

And then I added in a couple of rows of white.

And now adding back in the green again.

I do believe I will be on that green for around 70 rows or so before adding the white stripes again.

It will be awhile before I do that.

As for now, we are hanging with the green for awhile!

So this is where I am after 5 days.

That is really far in a few days. I usually crochet a bit slower than that.

It is so far along that I can bunch it and pose it a little, lol.

If you look closely at the picture above, you will see my unused yarn. I began to ran out of yarn, so I did a Wal-mart run after my doctor's appointment a couple of days ago and happened upon some more green. It is not the same dye lot, but I can't tell the difference (usually one overbuys yarn for a project, and each yarn skein should have the same dye lot, i.e, lot# to show it all came off the same run off the production line. That way, there are no subtle changes in color. But this looks just fine). I should easily be finished with that by the end of June at the latest. Then I will just store it away with the other... and then work on another.

I would be further along but I had to scrap the last try (I was 4 hours in), because it was a bit tight at the bottom. I have to get the bottom row right because it sets the tone for the remaining rows. That bottom row has to be nice and pliable.

It takes about 20 minutes a row. So so far, I've spent close to 10 hours on it. I usually spend 30 to 35 hours on a baby blanket, so I am about 25-30% done. Not gonna rush it. Like I said, I will be easily done by the end of June.

The babies aren't due until January. So I have plenty of time, you know!?

So it has been therapeutic, and it is helping me to relax since I have much on my mind.

And that's a good thing, isn't it?

Memorial Day Weekend 2013... A Summary

I had a 4 day weekend this past holiday weekend.

Normally I would be doing multiple cartwheels over scoring such time off.

But not this weekend.

The reason I took leave from work on Friday is because I had a doctor's appointment at the crack of dawn. I took my sister with me, just in case I needed her to drive, and just in case I needed a second set of ears. She wasn't allowed in the exam room with me, and that's cool. I ask the doctor some of the questions she had, and that was good for now. We've been talking about it over the past couple weeks, so I asked all the pertinent questions and I feel good about that.

Now that went well. But the best thing of all was spending time with my sister. The appointment was at 8 in the morning, and we hung out for awhile afterwards.  We went to this really cool restaurant out in her southside 'burbs...

It sat on a lake, and had a waterfall. And ducks!

That's some dirty water.

We perused an interesting grocery store.

Nice place.Very high class. Just right for the upper echelon golf cart communty.Wanna be a Whole Foods.  It is more expensive than Whole Foods.

Your friendly neighborhood Oldgirl will not be going back. It is GREAT for that area. But seeing that it is 40 miles from my house, I'm not beating a path to it no time soon. Nerp.

But the weekend turned O_o after that.

My sister called Saturday morning and said...

"Grandma is in the hospital."

Shoot.

Her pressure had shot up. And she is diabetic, and her blood sugar was sky high. So she was admitted to the hospital.

I talked to my sister awhile longer about the situation with Grandma. Turns out there is much tomfoolery going on with her kids (my mother, my aunt and my uncle). They have been arguing a bit as it is, so this ratcheted that up.

I think a social worker is now involved. Sigh.

Grandma can no longer take care of herself and she has some progressing dementia.

I have a cousin who is my sister's age and she made a few suggestions (very very good ones, I must say) about how to handle it. She should be listenend to, since her grandmother on her mother's side had similar issues and needed home nurse care.  My mother didn't want to hear that, and in her usual manner, went off on her.

My cousin was distraught. Me and Kentucky shrugged. We've dealt with that all our lives.

So I have spent a good part of the day texting with my cousin, and consoling her and saying what I always say in these situations.

"It is not your fault."

And honestly, I am dog tired of saying that. And I think between myself and my sister spending time talking to her, she is starting to feel better.

And like my sister said... We've been dealing with this all our life.

And I made a decision in 2005 not to deal with it any longer. My peace of mind is too valuable for that. 

And I have had a time of it just keeping my sister's emotions straight when she catches the brunt of our mother's wrath. That alone is a job within itself.

You know, I was at the hospital for a few hours on Saturday. Grandma was very talkative.  I tried to feed her. That didn't work out too well. It was so difficult to see her that way. I still think of my Grandmother as the woman who played badminton in the middle of the street with me when I was a child.  (And she played like she was playing for the Olympic Gold medal). And to see her so frail like that was a bit jarring.

My mother arrived and I actually had a civil conversation with her for an hour. I showed her how to use my Kindle and she played around with that and we just talked. I showed her some of my book cover concepts. She wasn't giving me problems. She was all peaches and cream. But when it came to my sister and my cousin... wow. All of them had words.  I didn't.

I am like a UFO anyway... if anyone even sees me, it is a miracle. I'm not around much. So it may be in one's best interest to keep conversations civil.

More bickering occured between siblings. My mother ended up being admitted to the hospital because she was stressed. It is just one hot mess. My aunt is arriving to take grandma back with her, which is an hour away, close enough for us to take a short road trip for a visit.

But I had a food-for-thought moment with my cousin, one I have with my sister.  I tell them that they are at that interesting critical age, between the age of 29 and 32, where their personalities are still pliable. We ALL have quirks in our personalities, and if they can sit down and get brutally honest within themselves and start working on these things at that critical age, then they won't be 60 years old and wreaking havoc and confusion like my mother does from time to time.

Sigh. Sad, but true.

I have a couple of older readers who can bear witness to that. We are NOT the same chickens we were at the age of 30. Nope. And just like me, I know they would like a few minutes to just go back in time and shake, shake, shake our young selves.

But we have been working on things. Gotten past things.  And we found out that there was more to work on.

And you know, I actually read about that in a book I read a couple of years ago. You have problems that you need to work out, because underneath there are deep rooted internal problems...

Internal issues you have that you don't even know about that... but they are indeed there.

Hmmm.  I thought that was profound. And most likely true. Because we all have emotional baggage. And all emotional baggage didn't start yesterday. It started back in childhood.

I am in my 40s and I am amazed at the things that have been solved in my personal life and emotions. And I am astonished at what lies underneath: those strongholds that I continuously wrestle with.

But one day... you watch... one day. If I keep chipping away at the proverbial mountain with my proverbial dull butter knife, something is going to give way.

So I keep chipping away.

In hopes of not wreaking havoc and chaos in the lives of others.

Now if that is the only result that comes out of us working on our internal issues - not causing chaos in the lives and emotions of others - I think it is well worth it.

Me? I am my Mothers child. I have that very same violent streak that she has. Underneath, I tend to be violent.

This is one of the major reasons I sow seed. For me, it's like throwing water on that "violent streak". Get my mind off of "me, myself and I", and get it On someone else. On any given day, I can tell you the seed I've sown. Any given day. It is a way of life for me.

Today I talked with my cousin, ministered to her heart. That was a seed sown. And I took a coworker to the airport - ol' Lieutennant Commander By. He was about to get on the train. Someone was going to give him a ride to the train, which was a block from our job. He just had surgery to repair a torn ACL, and has been hobbling around.

I took off early. He parked in the garage, and his ol' crippled tail got in Lucy Jr. the Lexus and we turned on that air conditioner (it is hot as hell in the ATL this week) and we put on some Sade (his favorite singer)... and we sang ourselves happy... allll the way to the airport.  15 minutes in traffic.

LOL

Yes, i sowed some seed today. I didn't wreak havoc and chaos in anyone's life today. Thank goodness for that.

THIS is the reason I sow seed.  I do other things. And I am sure you work out your stuff in your own way.

I prefer intangible seed like that to tangible seed. Seed is seed nevertheless.

I am still concerned about Grandma.  My brother Milk and Cookies called me while I was at the hospital. He is stationed up in Seattle, and even from 3000 miles away, he was presenting a few options of his own.  I think between us grandchildren, we have open minds and some funds to help out with things, but I told them all that that's their Mama. And if they want to fight, let them fight. They will have to come to some agreement.

But that was the critical point of the weekend, with it's happenings and food-for-thought and conversations among siblings and cousins.

I didn't do much else this weekend. I stuck around the house for a couple of days, doing my chores, crocheting and writing (stay tuned this week for a crochet post, future-mother-of-twins Aretha).  I had my doctor's appointment today, and it went well. She has required me to get a lot of other things checked out with specialists over the past few months, which has me a bit O_o, but I have promised myself that I will just humble myself and do what I am told, since it is in my best interest.

So that right there is part of LadyLee working on LadyLee. In the past, my doctor and I have bickered  ( I always lose, of course). But I am working on a better me. And thank goodness for that.

And I think all will be well. Grandma will get what she needs. I pray she will be alright. And i hope there is something I can do to be of assistance... once her children calm down and stop fighting.

Pictures of the Week. Here's your boy, That Original Oldcat Oscar Tyrone. He's watching me crochet.

He knows not to get on the yarn. He has been trained thoroughly. He knows what a headlock feels like, because he has been thrown into one a few times. I can leave balls of yarn all over the place and he refuses to play with them.

Here he is at 2:00 am last night.

He is a punk. Dude cannot hang. I was calling his name and he was ignoring me.

Old man!

LOL

He has the right idea. I should be fast asleep, just like him!

Song of the week:  You know I am a Jill Scott fiend! This song is titled "My Love"


I love the arrangement of that song. And it sounds like she trying to lure away one of Kelly Price's men. Cuz you know Kelly got a gang of songs about some friend stealing her man. LOL

That is it for me! Hump day already!

Make it a good one. By design and On Purpose.

Thursday Thoughts

I am having such a hard time posting. I am rarely as busy as I am these days, and I can't say that I like that very much. I have lots of medical appointments this week and next week, so I figure I better post.

Iron Oldgirl. I had an iron infusion yesterday. Personally I think this is rather stupid.  To one doctor I am anemic. To the other, by her charts, I am not. This is rather stupid. I told my hematologist that I know what it's like to be near dead anemic, so they just looking at some number that is a smidgen below normal.  And to my rheumatologist, things are normal. I tell you... confusing and stupid.

And what's interesting is that the nice young lady who did my vein tap... well, she did it in an odd place. Right over my thumb bone.

I couldn't do much for an hour and a half. The RN told me I had to hold that hand still because of the location of the insert.

Next time I want the girl with the dreads to put my needle in the back of my hand or in my forearm. I felt like I was being held in detention or sometihing. I had some typing to do. But all I could do was read!

But I can't get upset. I was in the chemotherapy room with a bunch of folks. When I think chemotherapy, I think cancer drugs, but it is basically a room where they give you your IV solutions, whether for cancer, or otherwise.

It is daunting sitting in that room with really ill people. Some don't even look ill, but just hearing their conversations. It is something else. Lots of sad moments there, and moments that make me think.

One funny moment yesterday... The UPS man came in, in his customary brown work uniform. One elderly lady was trying to holler at dude (he had to be young enough to be her grandson).

"Mrs. Jones," one of the nurses hollered while placing tape on my hand to hold my needle in place, "You better cut that out. You better behave yourself!"

"Be still my aching heart," Mrs. Jones said in the sexiest voice she could muster.

"Cut it out, Mrs. Jones!"

"What? An old lady can't look? I can still look! And that young fella was a good looking something!"

That was funny!

Yes you can look, Mrs. Jones.

And whatever's going on with you, honey... I hope you get well.

Lucy Junior. I finally put 1000 miles on this "new" car.  So I have had it for 48 days. That would give me an average of close to 21 miles a day driving. That will put me at about 7665 miles driven in one year's time.

No I don't drive much. My round trip commute to work is around 9 miles a day. A lot of that driving is stuff I have to do far out somewhere.  But I drove 150 miles yesterday alone. I had that morning doctor's appointment, then I had to travel to another city  out near my sister's house to pick up some medical records for an appointment on Friday. I then went out to Decatur to get Oscar-Tyrone's high class cat food. Ugh.

 So I was a driving fool! Wow! Folks who know me know good and well that I don't like spending THAT much time in a car. Goodness. I did so much driving that I decided not to go to work in the afternoon. I went home and

Atlanta is huge and sprawling. I remember when I lived in New Orleans, locals would say how I had to go "way Uptown" to a place I was trying to get to.

"But that's, like, 5 miles away," was my confused answer.

"That's far, baby!"

I lived in a boarding house out near the airport when I first moved to New Orleans. The place was in Kenner, 11 miles from work.

"Girl you live a long way away! Why you move out so far!!!??"

"But that's like, only 11 miles. That's nothing," was always my answer.

O_o

If I went from the northside of the ATL to the southern suburbs, it would take at least an hour top speed on the freeway. 2 hours in traffic. And yesterday, I was just making a trek from Stockbridge to Peachtree city - BOTH of which are southern suburbs. It took 45 minutes.

It is what it is. I tell you, yesterday... I never seent so many trees and woods in my life. And I really had an appreciation for it. I really did.

I still need to write my Lucy Junior post and what it means spiritually. But I don't think I will post it. It is waaaay too deep for me, so I know I don't need to put it up. It is the type of post that you will "get" a few months after you read it, lol. So I don't think I will post it.  And the whole meaning of it is STILL unfolding even now, a good month and a half later.

It goes hand in hand with something I am forced to look at and ponder every single day.



The fence that separates my yard from the vacant house's yard next door. I remember coming home from work and there was a new piece of wood in place of the old piece of wood that I would have to keep picking up from time to time.

That new piece of wood in the old fence speaks volumes to me.

And so does Lucy Junior. Lucy Junior appeared out of thin air as far as I'm concerned. Still shaking my head over getting the exact same car again... and it is a much better car than the original Lucy.

So that's all for today. I need to do freestyle more often. I often spend way too much times thinking about my posts, when I should just simply open up a clean post and just... type.

What do you think?

Hmm...

Happy Monday Afternoon

Happy Monday Afternoon.

I am a bit O_O this morning.

I didn't go to sleep until 3:30 am this morning. Sigh. I don't know what that's about. I had a lot of electronic

stuff going on. I am reading a really good book right now by a sister in my class (I'll talk about it later in a book review). This book is some 500 pages long, and it is set during the 1950s. Her writing is blowing me away. So when I looked up to see what time it was, it was 3:30 am.

I was reading and had my earphones on, listening to some music on low. That's enough to keep me up. Sigh.

So let's just say, around 2:00 pm, this Oldgirl right here will be in serious need in a good nap.

I talked her ear off after class about her book, even though I'd read only 20 to 30 pages. I know she had to be like.... O_o..."What the world? Who is this person?" 

LOL.  Masterful writing makes me all talkative and giddy.

So I've been trying to dig in this book so I can REALLY talk her ear off next Thursday night.

I'm about 275 pages in, so I got a lot to say! Oh my!

Anyway, it rained cats, dogs, and frogs this Sunday in metro ATL. I was awakened by hard crashes of thunder and pouring rain on Sunday morning. And I was glad that it was Sunday Morning indeed. This meant I didn't have to get up and go to work. I can pick up church on the internet (which I usually do on Sundays anyway; I am a Friday or Wednesday evening churchy type of gal), and the sermon was exceptional, something me and my sister have been discussing profusely lately. So that's a good thing.

Anyway, it's quite funky looking outside, but it's suppose to be in the mid-80s all week. I've had about enough of this rain. I can't wait for a week of alllll sunshine. Goodness.

But for the most part, this was a lazy weekend. Lots of reading. I needed to do some writing. But I decided to save that for the evenings this week. I don't have much homework and I'm just working on rewrites, so that's cool.
Movie of the Week.  I went to see Star Trek Into Darkness this on Saturday.




I usually don't go to see movies on their opening weekend. Too many doggone folks, you know... and I don't like crowds. But I really like the first in this series, and I really wanted to see this sequel.

It was good. NOT as good as the first in the series. Sequels don't usually live up to the first movie.  But I saw it in 3D and that was alright. If I see a 3D movie, I try to see the IMAX 3D. This was the regular 3D, and it was ok. Next time, I need to drive out to the IMAX instead of sticking around the 'hood.

The villain in this movie was GREAT. To me, he made the whole movie. If I go see it again, it would be for him.

The storyline was good, but I think this movie was basically a set-up for several more movies.  And that's always a good idea, especially since they are revamping the franchise.

I give the move a solid B. Good movie.

We talked about this type of genre in class. It is called a "space opera". I saw those words on a hand-out and wondered what they meant, but someone else asked the question.

Space opera. Sounds interesting. But I'm not creative enough to write that type of stuff.
Song of the Week.  "The Boss" by James Brown



I've never heard this song before. Or maybe I was so young. I wasn't a James Brown fan when I was a child. I was more into Earth Wind and Fire, and the Emotions. James Brown hollered to much. Sigh.

I am reminded of sitting with my little brother looking through some family albums a few years ago at Grandma's house, and we came across a picture of one of our family members.

"Who's that James Brown looking dude?" my brother asked. 
I looked at the picture he was pointing out.
"Boy, that's our Aunt Jolene. Goodness."
*crickets*
"Oh snap, my bad," he said through his laughter. "My bad... I didn't know!"

*ladylee kicks the hard eyeroll*

Aunt Jolene did look like James Brown. Imagine James Brown with long fake eyelashes, bright baby blue eye shadow, bright red lipstick... and his signature perm a fiery auburn red with blonde streaks.

That was Aunt Jolene. She was one of the "messy" folk in the family. Kept up MUCH drama. I remember sitting around eavesdropping on serious adult conversations about some mess she had started. She was always nice to me, though. She called my great-grandmother "Doll Baby". I was never sure what that was about, but I found it amusing. She had some toy chihuahuas that I always looked forward to playing with.

She passed a couple of years ago. When I see James Brown now, I think of her.

I wish my brother and sister, who are so much younger than me, could've met some of the older generation of our family. They were some good people... and some serious characters indeed.

That's it for today.

You have a great week... not by default, but by design...

and ON PURPOSE!

The Bonfire Answers

Only four days after the death of her husband, Maryanne made a bonfire of his clothes and favorite possessions.

She hated that she had to wait that long to do that, something she’d been dreaming of doing since the first time he hit her some ten years ago. She would’ve like to have done it when the hospital called to tell her that he was dead, but that would’ve been rude, what with his many friends and relatives around all hours of the day holding candlelight vigils at the hospital, in the house, and on the front lawn.

A raging fire with her husband things as kindling would have looked beyond suspicious.

And if anyone ever found out that it was the arsenic sprinkled lightly in his morning coffee and not his failing diabetic kidneys that had killed him, that too would have been a shame.

So when the last of the many offered casseroles were eaten and the last of the heartfelt condolences were offered, Maryanne gathered up Charles’ things and piled them high in the backyard way back beyond the huge thicket of trees out of view, and sat them on fire.

As the flames consumed the items, she thought of his drunken rages and his numerous affairs.

“Where are they now, Charles?” she yelled. “Where are your fists? Where are your women?”

For the first time there was no answer.

The crackle and snaps of the flames consuming what once was were the only sounds to be heard.

And that was the only answer she needed.



From Knight Writing Class, May 16, 2013.

Writing prompt (homework):  Begin a story with "Only four days after the death of her husband, Maryanne made a bonfire of his clothes and favorite possessions."

Wednesday's Words

I don't know how I let half a week go by with no posts.
Sigh.

I must stop that.

*smacking self on the hand*

STOP IT, I say.

LOL.

I guess I will do some random news...

Look what I saw yesterday!

A google maps street views car. It was parked off in the cut over by the Whole Foods in Midtown.

I was wondering how the heck I could google up my address and a streetview of my house and street comes up? Hmm... And what's funny, the last time I did this, I saw my neighbors on their front porch staring out at the street with that "What the world?" look on their faces. I guess they were staring at this car whizzing by!

Someone is always watching. You can see a postage stamp on the ground from outer space by satellite.

Big Brother is ALWAYS watching you. You might as well get use to it.

What I'm eating right now.

A grapefruit.  That tangerine is for later. 

I haven't taken my meds today, and grapefruit is a problem with some meds. Hopefully I won't have problems. We will see!

Quote of the Week

That's a quote from a postcard I saw while standing in the checkout line at the Whole Foods.

It reminds me of a quote from one of my favorite books that I read from time to time asks the simple question of "What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?"

Hmmm... I'll be pondering that forever.

Have a good Wednesday!

Friday Freestyles... The Prolific Evening Edition

I don't know why I'm posting so late today.

Shame, shame, shame!

Maybe because it's Payday!! *wide swooping cartwheels*

GLORY!!

Anyway, it is BEAUTIFUL outside here in the ATL. It's around 70 degrees right now, all sunny and bright. I left home earlier than normal this morning so I could go to Whole Foods. I bought the most interesting fruit a couple of days ago, and I wanted more.

Golden Nugget tangerines. They are some ugly suckers, but they are GOOD and sweet, and as big as regular oranges. I'm not a big fan of tangerines. For some reason, I don't like small citrus fruits. But these were big and good! I went back and bought 6 pounds! Yes that will make it a good weekend!

I gave a few away. But I still have enough to last me for a minute!

Too bad it's gonna rain cats and dogs this weekend. Awwwwwww. :(

Yes, that's much too bad.

And this oldgirl is going to be in the house... doing homework.

O_O

Why? Because I signed up for this writing workshop. It's a six week workshop, on an intermediate level, costing $150, which is a VERY good price. So I'm happy about that. When I'm fighting with a story, I like to put it through a class with hopes of improving it. We had to give a short summary of what we were working on. I gave a 5 minute spiel of my novella Leaving Jersey. That went well enough, but the instructor said later on when going around while talking about our projects that she didn't know the source of conflict in my story. So I will be working on fleshing that out more.

There are only 5 or 6 people in the class and they are some powerhouses! Goodness gracious alive! I hope I can hold my own with them!

But my story needs some work, to the point where I will sit in the room with some stellar folks, most of whom seem to be writing some interesting historical fiction.

Yes. I will be a brave Oldgirl.

*big karate spin and Bruce Lee moves*

Oscar-Tyrone. The convalescing old kitty with the hepatitis and pancreatis isshas seems to be coming along pretty well. And I know he's well when he continues to stare at me while I lay out on the sofa.

Oh how I hate when he does this. And I think he knows it too, because he will sit there for HOURS and watch me sleep or he will just stare.

Sometimes I get to the point where I holler "STOP STARING AT MEEEEEEE!"

He lets up if I bust him in the head with a pillow. But he comes back after a few minutes.

The only time he doesn't bother me is during prayer time. He will sit quietly across the room and have his own prayer time.

Well, I guess he has to pray about those hepatitis and pancreas issues of his. Or maybe he just dozed off.

*fanning Oscar-Tyrone with my Obama church fan*

Amen, Oscar. Amen.

During my prayer time, I like to crochet. That actually gives me incentive to get up early and pray. And my current project is pretty much finished. It is blogger Mrs. A's baby blanket.

It's pretty much done. It is 3 feet x 3 feet.  As you can see, the ball of yarn is still attached to it.  I can't finish it off because I don't know the sex of the baby(ies). 

Yes, that's right. I don't know. I started this blanket when the baby was merely a thought in her mind. 

A mere thought.

A mere seed. 

*blog family rolls eyes and hollers "here she go with that seed bizness!"*

WHATEVER. That's how I look at things.

Anyway, I started this when it was a mere thought. And then those thoughts were translated into words.

For out of the heart... the mouth speaks.

I can tell what you thinking by what you are saying.

*church spin*

I remember reading her blog about wanting a baby and how they were working on that. At that time I thought "Whelp! Guess it's time to make that 30 minute drive down yonder to the southside and buy this here yarn."

Yeah, I started on it when she was talking about it.

I already know the deal. Like I said, go get the yarn. Don't wait around.

Anyway, they ended up doing all this testing, etc.... and did some in vitro type thing. It was all very fascinating, these write-ups of it all on her blog. Of course it appeals to the Dr. LadyLee the Scientist part of me. I almost went and bought a book on it so I could be knowledgable about it all.

But I decided just to keep on crocheting.

Lo and behold, she put up a picture of her embryos, which are the fertilzed eggs, before they were implanted.

She shouldn't have done that.

I went over to our admin assistant's office and told him (real whispery-like) "I'ma send you a picture file. I'ma need you to print that out for me on the good printer over here, the good color printer. Thank you."

And he did it. And brought the picture to my desk. Without a word. (But I know he had to be thinking "What the world!")

Well I stuck that picture in laptop bag and took it home and taped it to my fridge. Sure did.

Yes. It is there. Just beneathe the crock pot and the tall school cafeteria pot I use for gumbo. And next to the my company logos.

O_o.

Hmmm... I can do that, can I not? Write the vision on the wall... make it very plain so when the people see it they can run with it. 

I like what the Message bible of that particular verse in bible says.... write the vision on the wall in BIG BLOCK LETTERS... 

Yeah... I don't have big block letters, but I have some logos. Yes sir. I have logos.

Those embryos are new, and weren't here... they didn't exist until recently.

But I have my little bit of faith to add to theirs...

And a trusty needle and a couple skeins of baby sport weight yarn. Yes I do.

And now they are pregnant! And the blanket is done, all except the border! I don't know if it needs to be ruffle edge for a prissy girl, or straight edge for a rough boy! We'll find out!

Hope all goes well with that, hon! When I know, I will mail the blanket! Lickety-split! ON PURPOSE!

I need to work on something else now. I may work on another one for our expectant blogger mom over there... I want to make this one.  

My cubicle mate The Cowgirl Cre (who taught he how to crochet back in 1999) and I were discussing this in the cubicle this morning. I think I will do an all green one (like the baby green above) with white stripes at the top and bottom. That is neutral enough for either a boy or a girl.

She approved. Yarn run to the southside in the rain this weekend!!  *multiple wide swooping cartwheels*

I also want to make another blanket for myself. 

Here is Oscar laying on the one I made back in 1999.

This is one time where he looks content... and not all surly.

That is a GREAT summer blanket because it has a lot of spaces. That lets the air circulate. It is in the upstairs bedroom. I think I will go get it and bring it downstairs to the main bedroom and use it. But with it being 13 years old, I think I need a new one.

That's it for me. Yes this was a long post!

I am prolific like that, man.

Oh.... Quote of the Day:

It is one thing to not like the things you do, but it is a whole nother problem when you don't like the person you are.

Really though. We don't even need to discuss that one. That says it all...  

Song of the Day. Canton Jones. I really like his music.

He was sitting in front of me in church one day and he turned around and I was cheesing hard and hollering "Canton Jones! I sho' do like your music!!!!!!!" 

He smiled and said thank you, but I know he had to be thinking... "What the world!!!!"

HA HA!

With that said, have a good weekend... by design... and ON PURPOSE.