Mean Girls and Sweet Little Boys

I was just reading a friends blog and it made me a little sad. He wrote about Valentines day and specifically about a Valentines day when he was deeply hurt by a mean little girl. The thing is, I knew him when he was a little boy, and I can't imagine even the most viscous 12 year old girl hurting him intentionally. But we all know how cruel the preadolescence female can be.

I would like to say I never broke a boys heart, but it wouldn't be true. I don't think I ever held one up for ridicule in public, however. My husband may disagree. He has some crazy story about when I was working in a record store. He said he came in and asked for Carole King Tapestry and I laughed at him, saying I had that album when I was a little girl. Well, it may have happened. I am a music Nazi and I did have the Tapestry album when I was around 14 or 15. Oh, and yes it was chick music. He also said I stood him up when he came to Dallas to take me out. But I wasn't in my right mind, and I didn't know I was going to marry him and hear the story for the next 30 years.

I really liked this boy I met from Kansas, as long as we were writing and telephoning, but when he came to see me, he was in my way. I was not nice to him but he always came back every summer. I'm so ashamed of myself, now for treating him so badly. I started going out with another guy who wanted to get married. I liked him and didn't want to break up, so I said I would marry him. About that time, I met another guy when we were both in my best friends wedding. We had a lot of fun and decided to go out. Well, the one I was pretending to be engaged to, saw me with him. I said I was sorry and thought all was forgiven, until that weekend, on Valentines Day, all 3 boys showed up. The one I met at the wedding sent me red roses and a card with the lyrics to Cat Stevens, Wild World. I thought this was total plagiarism, but when told Lauren about it, years later, she thought it was the most romantic thing she had ever heard, and told all her friends.

I remember my mother telling me, some day I would have a son who would have his heart broken by some little girl, and it would hurt me also. She was right. So, girls, be mean to those sweet little boys. But, believe me, you will get yours.

State Of The Union

The President will give his State of the Union address tonight, and ooh I'm just giddy with excitement. One of my friends said it was the Super Bowl of politics. I hope he was kidding. Anyway, I thought I would get a jump on Mr. Obama, and express some of my own ideas on the state of this union.
The first thing I will address is the economy. If I were president I would forgive all student loans. This would free up money to buy houses, cars, and whatever people want. You may be thinking it would hurt the lenders but, I say we let the universities, especially the ones taking tax payer money, take the loss. They might have to down size and lay off some liberal, tenured professors, but that would only improve the quality of education.
Next we have to pay some bills. Our government is so good at printing money, let's print 2 or 3 billion yuan, and pay back the Chinese. What could it hurt? It's not like they use their money to feed the people, and you know they would do it to us.
Guns. Everyone should have one. Even a crazy person would think twice about going on a shooting spree in a crowd of armed people. In countries where guns are not allowed, you still have the occasional mass stabbing. It's a fact. Take away their guns and they will throw rocks.
Rowe v Wade has come up again this week. No matter how ugly life gets, there is never a reason to kill a baby.
I don't know what to do about illegal immigration. I feel sorry for Obama on this one. Not all illegals are bad people, but they all are breaking the law. I can certainly understand, however, why they come here. The gangs and drug lords have made Mexico a hard place to live. What if marijuana was legal and grown on farms here and sold in supermarkets? The drug lords would be powerless, and it would stimulate our economy. Well it's just a thought.
I guess I should go now and see what the Pres has to say. He might have a few ideas of his own.

Sweet Dreams

OK, I will warn you before you read this. It's going to be weird.

I awoke from the strangest dream this morning. In my dream, I was very, very thirsty, parched you might say. I walked in the kitchen and opened a cabinet to get a glass and everything in there was crystal. It was a beautiful sight. I spotted Lauren's sippy cup from when she was a toddler, and it was beautiful, cut glass crystal as well. I picked it up, and breathed deeply, thinking it still smelled like apple juice. I filled it with water and tried to take a drink. I was so thirsty, but I couldn't get the water in my mouth. I tried over and over again, but still nothing. Then, I woke up.

I don't know why I am writing about this, except maybe I'm hoping someone will have an interpretation. I'd love to here from you if you do.

Glad To Be Home

We had a good time in Red River but I am so glad to be home. I don't think I want to go anywhere else for a while. I like staying at home more than most people. I think I'm like my Dad in that way.
Last night we went to another bar / steak house to hear two guys play and sing. I swear every business in Red River is also a bar. They do this really cool thing called torch light. After dark every evening, all the ski instructors come down the ski slope with a torch in each hand while fireworks go off. We stood out in the cold waiting for it to start and it was pretty impressive. However the sarcasm from all the drunks surrounding us sort of ruined it for me. Being the sober one among the drunks is hard. Is this how Jerry feels at our family reunions?
So anyway, the guys we heard last night were pretty good. This one guy, Mike, was an incredible guitar player and knew every song anyone threw at him. Two little boys walked up to him and asked if he knew any John Denver. He said, "What's your second choice?" Everyone laughed but he played a John Denver song for the kids. Later they came up to him again and asked him to play some Conway Twitty. He grimaced and asked them where they had heard such music but ,then played one for them anyway. I told him he had to redeem himself and play some Grateful Dead, so he played Friend of The Devil. He had a notebook 2 inches thick with lyrics of all the songs he knew.
On the way home today, we stopped in Santa Fe and I realized after all these years I still don't like Santa Fe. I don't think I'll ever go back voluntarily. It's just a tourist trap for the very wealthy. We stumbled into a row of store fronts belonging to a family from Afghanistan. They thought we were rich, stupid Americans. One wanted to give me a great deal on a 9,000.00 rug for only 3,900.00. He said it was handmade and hundreds of years old. That meant his great grandfather's grandfather couldn't unload that rug either.
Another one tried to sell me a shawl that was beautiful, but 900.00. He put it around my shoulders and said "You must have this" I started to say my husband would kill me, but stopped when I realized he might take the statement seriously and offer to help. "Achmed, bring me some stones. We have a wife to kill!"
I walked next door and bought a shawl for 18.00 and I think it came from World Market in Lubbock, Texas. But I like it.
I didn't buy anything from the Native Americans on the square either. They were all just a little too pricey.
Anyway we are home, and I am glad, even if I do have to go to work tomorrow.

Red River and Bluegrass

I am sitting in a coffee house called Robin's Nest, in Red River, New Mexico. It is beautiful here. There's lots of snow and mountains, just what we were looking for. This is one of those spur of the moment things you do when you're married to a retired man.
Yesterday we watched people ski. That's what we do. We go to the beach to watch people surf and the mountains to see them ski. If I were 20, no wait, 30 years younger I might try it myself.
Jon likes to ski, and always wanted me to learn, but for years I got out of it by having a baby to watch. Then when the kids were older we were too poor. We did, however fork out big bucks for them to go with church groups now and then. It's an expensive sport. We were never able to keep up with the Jones', until it came time to send our kids to college. Then we kicked the Jones' butt. Did I mention we had three kids in college at the same time?
Last night we went out to see some live music. We found this fun little place right by the ski slopes. They called it a bar and grill but, it was mostly a bar, as more alcohol was served than meals. There were a lot of children there, so I guess it was a "family" bar.
Anyway we got to hear this terrific little Bluegrass band called the Squash Blossom Boys. First let me get this out of the way. I am a huge Bluegrass fan. I know that makes me pretty uncool, but it's one of my very few guilty pleasures, along with pancakes for supper. And by the way, I have found the perfect wine for a pancake supper, so that and soft music and candlelight makes it socially acceptable.
Back to the Squash Blossom Boys. They were young, late 20' or early 30's. I am always impressed by young people who take an interest in any other kind of music besides the top 40 junk on the radio, or country. It's not that easy for them with peer pressure and wanting to get rich and all.
So you might be wondering what the big difference is between Country and Bluegrass. Mostly it's talent. I know a lot of great guitar players who can't keep up with Bluegrass pickers. Along with the guitar, which was great, these guys played a do bro, banjo, and stand up bass. I love a stand up bass. Fiddles and mandolins also. The other thing is lyrics. I can write you a Country song in about 10 minutes that would turn Toby Keith green with envy. Bluegrass music is about real life, from, I stabbed ole Joe and now I must hang, to, Jesus forgave me for stabbing ole Joe.Which makes me think, I highly recommend the new Patty Griffin CD, Downtown Church. I know she is more Folk than Bluegrass, but she does some great work on this one.
I think the Squash Blossom Boys will do well in spite of not playing a particularly popular style of music. They are just too talented. I have their information if anyone is looking to book a great band.

Peace In The State Of Mind

Today I was at work thinking about my latest diet and feeling sorry for myself for having to eat such tasteless food. I looked up and standing in front of me was a young man with a strange tube strapped to his face one end running up his nose. He said, and I'm sorry but I had to ask, that it was his feeding tube. He had been wounded in Iraq and no longer had a stomach and much of his intestine. He had a slight limp as he had lost most of his calf muscle in one leg. We talked for awhile and he said the hardest part was the way people looked at him. I said to me it would be not being able to taste food. He said yes, that was pretty bad too. He had spent many months hospitalized in Germany, before he was flown home to San Antonio for a year long stay at the army hospital there. Now his life is spent at different Veteran's hospitals trying to find someone who can help him. I thanked him for his service and told him I would pray for him.
I felt silly thanking him, but I meant it and wanted him to know.
I'm not a peace 'nic or anything, but I do hate war. I hate seeing strong, disciplined, young people going off to war and coming home in pieces. I know they are the reason we live so freely, but I still hate it.
If you think about it, say a prayer for my new friend, Albert, before you doze off tonight. I know he would appreciate it.