The Gypsy on Adventure

We've seen days like this.

Any motivation to write is a good thing.

 

 

When I interviewed Maya Angelou, she told me to write this sentence in my notepad and to never forget it: 

"Every storm runs out of rain."

I still think of that line to this day.  Alex Banayan

I am trying to keep my eye on that line. That this terrible experience we are all in will run out of power and stop, eventually. The pandemic, Delta Variant, Covid deniers, Mask resisters, Science haters, California Wildfires, Hurricane Ida, New Jersey and New York flooding, Greenland losing the ice, Global warming deniers,  the attempt to recall our Gov. and costing the tax payers of California Millions of dollars, Good people doing nothing, Afghanistan, Rep. McCarthy threatens tech and telecom firms that comply with the January 6th insurrection committee's request,  and Texas...

I sure hope that the storm runs out of rain soon.

 

 

 

I know I have a really hard job, to stay better and not bitter. It is up to us to keep voting. Keep educating ourselves. Keep speaking out. Keep being kind. Keep our humanity. Keep creating art. Keep being thought provoking with our art. Keep standing up for people who cannot stand up for themselves alone. Keep believing in the separation of Church and State. Keep believing in our Constitution. Be willing to learn and grow.  What a time we are living in. 

The one good thing I noticed today, my point of joy was the blue sky out my art desk window. I haven't seen a blue sky in weeks due to the Wildfires. My soul felt a burst of hope while I looked out my window today.

 

St Patrick's Day - a very very bizarre celebration indeed.

A British and Roman priest who attempted to annihilate the Druids, conducted exorcisms to banish the great Irish faery deity Aine, who told lies about the faery, who claimed he threw Pagan women who would not convert into the ocean and they became mermaids, who "drove out the snakes" (the Pagan ways) and attempted to turn the great bright god Lugh into Lugh-chromain (Little stooping Lugh) which would become "lephrecaun".

 

I adore the Irish. I revere Ireland. I have that old blood singing within my veins. But this day is a day to celebrate the survival of the Old Ways despite what this "Saint" represented and the cruel action he took.

 

Today, I wear the green, for the fae, for the Old Ways, for the shining ones and the deep love of the land. Blessings to you all my friends. A blessing on the survival of the old ways, and of the Truth emerging from the distortions of history. )O( with thanks to the brilliant Min Saxe for the use of her meme!

 

Written by Lucy Cavendish 2018 - seen on Facebook

Lettering Art

Well, Diana, from Discovery of Witches didn't need fancy technology to find one! Giggle

Seriously this is pretty cool!

Ruin beauty

The photos of this submerged city just moves me...do you ever feel ghosts trying to talk to you, sad this is covered by a dam.

It just seems to have some stories that should be told.  I was struck by it's beauty.

::TBT::

With my Lana Woman....we were at our first girls get away with great friends and OMG laughing till we had to use depends!!! Sue B said something funny! Miss my girls!  I love this so much, we were SO in the moment, just loving the experience and surrounded by girl friends! The best time ever! Honest laughter!

  

Coping through a tremendous amount of pain...

This has had to be one of the worst days of my life.
I am drained, tired and exhausted. 
Now for my kids, let the healing begin.

We were lucky I found Holiday Inn Express - Jackson California to stay in, I explained what we were coming there for, and they allowed us in our rooms early to try to gather our stregth for having to view my ex-husband.  They were VERY kind to us. It was clean, and smelled good, no cigarette smells in the rooms. Large enough disabled room for my daughter and bathtub that was safe for her. My daughter and g-boy in one room down the end of the hall so she could have access to outside for her smoking and me a couple of doors down, where my son and his girl would stay with me as well.  We were able to reflect and meet up with my son before going to the Mortuary.

This was THE most horrific thing I have ever had to force myself to do in my entire life, and if you knew what I have lived through, that is really saying something. I never expected to have to walk my kids through the process of dealing with a parents death. Nor dealing with my ex-husbands death. His family has refused to view the body with the kids, and anyone who knows me knows how I will go to the ends of the earth for my kids and stand by them in thick and thin...and this is part of my responsiblity as a parent to them. Some may not understand why I am doing this, but they don't know my heart.

We had about an hour and half of just dealing with the business of death...the arrangements before we could view the body, and it was looming over us, my daughter broke at one point...her anger comes out when she is overwhelmed.

Once we were there my daughter started crying and telling me she couldn't do it without me, that it was the last time we would be together as a family...how to you break your childs heart by reminding them you haven't been a family in over 13 years .... I put on my big girl panties and went in with my kids. I really was not prepared to view him. I thought I would be there for my kids to go in...and a rush of emotions hit me right in the chest when I walked in.

My daughter had insisted that her 8 year old son be able to view him the whole time, and finally she agreed SHE would see him first and then decide. My son's girlfriend stayed with him in the front of the mortuary where there was a beautiful room with a fire going.  My daughter was so upset when she saw her father that she couldn't make the decision and asked me, I made the decision to spare him of having nightmares the rest of his life. AND I will stand on that decision for as long as I live.

So many conflicting emotions. He looked so far removed from the man I loved, really the boy I fell in love with...I was very young...we were 15...what do you know when you are 15?  Anyway, he looked like the choices he had made and it broke my heart. My son, brought clothes for the undertaker to put him in, he was dressed, cleaned up and the man took care to wrap a gauze bandage on the worst part, my daughter brought her favorite bandana and he placed it over his head, covering the injury. He had his leather jacket on and his cane and leather hat were on his chest. One hand was out because my kids wanted to hold his hand.

My heart broke. On many levels. He really didn't treat me very well while we were married and we were married for 20 years, together for 24. And only while being able to see the past of the whole life can it break your heart that he was never able to make better choices. The potential he had was so great, but instead he ended up like this...

All of his bad choices laying directly in front of me...his death the direct result of a decision to go out to a bar, drink, sing and then get in his car to drive  home and speed on a mountain road while he was drunk, and not turn with the road. Honestly, I just thank the universe that he didn't hurt anyone else in his car crash...that we don't have to deal with another family grieving and being angry with him. He knew better...he is responsible for this outcome...and I am angry he made that choice...that he is putting my children and I through this...and the reprocussions of the hard days coming our way.

The disappointment and anger I still have of his family. His mother and closest sister refused to see him with us. That just brings up so much anger in me. The woman who bore him, abused him, tormented him, dangled a promise of I will love you IF, refused to see him ... The sister that went through hell and back like they were thick as thieves refused to see him. There I stood with my children...in an empty room...saying the final good-bye and struggling to forgive it all for the last time in person. I am rendered without words to convey the contempt I feel for his family that got between us while we were together and fought me every step of the journey. NEVER there for the hard...

I was proud of my son's girlfriend. She was there, she stood by my son and his family. She walked in after our time with my son, and said goodbye. She is a keeper. She is a person who has substance and I adore her more now.

After all of that we went to Mel's diner and finally ate something...we were all drained and emotional...and needed food...and some laughs. Passing down to the next generation the nose and spoon trick! And I really lusted after that Betty!

 

 

I am trying to keep my healthy eating and walking up even in the stress of family stuff and the process of letting go...

Today I looked like a Vampire in my shadow! LOL Today...I passed my goal again...4,291 steps! As long as I hit the 3000 mark I am happy! That is about a mile and a half...building it up!

Today we found out that Retired Captain John Tomac passed away, luckily after a short illness.  Its amazing to me that he retired in 1986! It sure doesn't seem like that long to me! I was working in the Fire Deparment then, but he was always nice to me. 25 years? Really? He still lived in town and had a rich, rich life! He never defined himself by what he did for a living!

You will be missed by those that admired you, knew you, and those you touched in your community!

Grandma Mary (on the left) and her youngest sister Stella...

Grandma Mary is the ONLY surviving sibling out of the 12 Grabowski's.

How ridiculous people can be!

Maybe we will look back on those doing censorship now in the same way I am today looking at the clips from the old films...and the issue of decency was????

WTF!

Boobs on Sun-Maid girl???

In the annals of advertising imagery, few brand symbols are more iconic and recognizable than the Sun-Maid raisin girl. Nevertheless, Sun-Maid recently decided to join Betty Crocker, Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth's in giving the female face of their product a substantial makeover from a young, early 20th-century girl into a buxom, modern young woman, leading some to say that the newly made-over raisin girl looks like a Barbie Doll in Amish attire...the changes to the 90-year-old icon were actually introduced three years ago.

Additionally, there's been talk hat the new Sun-Maid girl might be given a name and featured in future advertisements doing some of the things modern women typically do, like going to the gym, shopping at the market, and speaking multiple languages, particularly languages native to countries where Sun-Maid, the world's largest producer and processor of raisins and other dried fruits, sells raisins. However, the image on all Sun-Maid product packaging will remain the same, as the new version will only be featured in product advertisements.

I am all for a remake but huge fake looking boobs? Who thought that was ok? And any one that skinny can't have boobs that big that are natural...boobs are fat people!!! And normal bodies have BALANCE...your arms can't be 7 inches wide and you have boobs at size DD cups men! LOL She would fall over before she could walk or hold up the grapes to feed you in your silly fantasy! snort!  Keep your make over...just make her boobs more realistic! Rolling eyes!