What are you up to?

When people ask me what I've been up to lately, I have a couple answers.

1) "Oh, you know. Just living the dream." Then we all chuckle and no one presses any further into my weird little brain.

 ~OR~

 

2) "Well, I've been bartending downtown for about a month, and I really like it. Its a fun job." Then they either ask me about my job, or I change the subject to Count Chocula, which is the best reason to have Halloween once a year. Count. Chocula. 

If YOU were to ask me, though, I'd tell you things are alright. I'm getting along, and its gotten harder to do that than it used to be. I miss my uncle. I love my family. My grandma had a stroke today, and I'm not sure what to do with myself. I just want everyone to go back to normal. I want things to be alright. If you do anything special that you feel helps in these sorts of things (prayer, meditation, eating count chocula), please do that tonight with my grandma in mind. I need her to stay around. Thanks, friends. Love you, too. 

This actually happened yesterday

I love this picture for two reasons.

 1) It is a picture of my best buddy Ethan and I. Not only is he an adorable, sweet, funny baby, but he is also wearing a goofy giraffe costume his mother bought for him (he's too young to pick out his own costume. He doesn't even know what Halloween is). Jenny and I laughed and laughed until she felt bad for having him in it too long. I'm almost positive Devan was having a good time, too. Fun for the whole family! 


2) It showcases the beautiful opal ring that my aunt recently gave to me. It belonged to her mother, who was like a grandmother to me. I may have sobbed a little when she gave it to me. Opal is my birthstone, and was Virginia's as well. We shared a special little friendship that children have with their favorite adults, and I was so sad when she passed away. I was 13 or so, and it was the first funeral I ever remember being devastated during. She was a beautiful woman, and to have this piece of jewelry makes me feel closer to where I came from, somehow. I just love my family. Since it is opal, and opal tends to be delicate, I can't wear the ring to work or when I clean. I basically rate every task I undertake as ring worthy or not. I'm not kidding when I say I wait for the times I can safely wear it. It is beautiful. 

Here are a couple more of Ethan and Auntie Neenee

One from the boudoir

Love that baby and his mommy.

Happy Birthday, John Lennon

You would have been 70 today. I cried when I was 13 because you weren't alive anymore. 

Here is one of my favorite videos of The Beatles/John Lennon.

Fun with the scanner

This was not my cat. That is, however, my cousin:

Check out my handsome pops:

And that time my mom and I hung out with Eddie Murphy:

Love Always, Blond Wednesday Addams

Memory Card Thief

I have Jessica's memory card.....it's from a while ago. In fact, I lost it and just gave her a new one. I know. Me? Lose stuff? Anyway, I found it this morning while looking for some cord so I could put country music on Uncle Johnny's new phone for him. Here is what was discovered:

 

Good picture, Vaness. Your hair and face look pretty stupid.

Crazysexycool?

 That is Jenny over yonder.

 Let's see how long it takes Jess to see this post.

September 23

The family has all left after being around for a week and a half or so. Two thursdays ago, we lost my Uncle Sam. There had been a motorcycle accident. One Thursday ago, we buried him.

 
  Uncle Sam was our holiday turkey carver. He lived with and looked out for Uncle Johnny, he made sure my mom was taken care of if she needed any help. I practiced my french braids on his long hair when I was little, and traded him trinkets for other trinkets he had found. He loved family, and we love him. When Uncle Johnny was living with my mom and I while recovering from his train accident (he was hit by a train. I don't know how that happens, but it did), his physical therapist said we needed to widen our step into the garage to accommodate the walker. I mentioned it to Uncle Sam, then left to take Uncle J to an appointment. When we got home a couple of hours later, it was already done.

I may like to claim that I'm his favorite niece, but really, there are probably 50 nieces to choose from. What I know for SURE is that our family feels the hole he left. We congregated, we said a lot of I love yous and meant them wholeheartedly.We may not be quiet, or normal, or even always sober, but we sure love each other to pieces. Miss you more than I can tell you, Uncle Sam.