Twist on "Wear Purple"

When I'm Old I'll Wear Purple,...
We have all heard that tale....
Dressing in purple is not just a dare...

But; me I'll do things
that others might think...
childish, imprudent, and like an "infink"...
I'll play with my food, 'cause I want to
you see....
I'll sing at the table
and happy I'll be...

Some will say senile,
but childlike I'll be....
wearing my purple for all folks to see.

Grammie Mel

Let Go & Let God..... Thoughts....

This phrase has come to mind for various reasons off and on over the years.  Yes; we do need to believe in a higher power and let our God be in charge...  Let Go & Let God....  Some things are just out of our control.  The well known Serenity Prayer also kind of ties into that statement...  God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  :)  But; what does the scripture actually say?  Now; don't get me started on that.  I mean you ask ten people the same question about anything and you will get ten different interpretations each one individual adamantly declaring their version is right!  :)

So this brings me to my current concern.  There are so many out there leaving God in charge of the family planning.  OK that is great.  I don't have a problem with that at all.  But; at what point should our God given brains kick in?  Firstoff coming to mind is a certain lady who most of us have heard of.  She is expecting her 19th child, bless her soul.  But; honestly, to me she looks tired and her body has to be wearing out!  She is letting God plan her family?  Would he want Michelle Duggar to wear herself into the ground?  What happens to these children if something happens to the parents?  And; those older girls.  When were they children?  Will they want to raise their own children after raising their siblings for so many years?  Don't get me wrong, I think it is wonderful to see a large family all getting on well and self-sufficiently without costing the taxpayers.  But; when is enough enough?  What does God have to do to communicate "STOP"!  I guess he would have to render a couple infertile, which could happen...  But; isn't enough enough at some point?

I don't know.  Not making much sense I guess...  Trying to work it out here.  If you have input...please share!

Melody

PS:  Next writing may be on Obama-Nation an Abomination?  Hmmmmmm.....

"Rainbow Connection" - Grammie Style...

Have you ever pondered "connections" and wondered what it was all about?  When would the ultimate connection in your life happen?  Well; I have been through alot.  Most of us go through alot of one form or another in our lives before we are done.  Some is good, some is bad.  But; like I always say, the things we live today make us who we are tomorrow and I like to think that is all in the end for the better.  Being who we are is ok.  Hopefully; by the time we are grandparents we are getting a handle on who we are and therefore have earned the title "Grand" parent.  After raising five sons, having twin grandsons, and yet another baby boy grandson who I never get to see, now nearly two (MATTHEW & TOMIE'S son STERLING)...I like to think that perhaps Iris is my ultimate reward.  I never had a daughte.r  I don't feel I ever really got to be a "little" girl excepting when "I" was with my grandmother (the favorite relationship of all time in my life).  I like to feel that such as I am I am that person, making that relationship with Ms. Iris.  I like to feel we have a connection.  That delightful little girl (film at eleven) is such an inspiration to me.  She can be a handful.  She can be "spoiled" which I have made her.  But; she can also be thoughtful, caring, tender, and sweet.  She is my built in reminder sometimes helping to keep me straight and again, my inspiration.  She loves to do all the things I always wanted to do and hopefully she will get to do them.  She is artistic, creative, coordinate and bright.  As she skips out the door to school in her "Little Hippie Girl" outfit she makes me smile.  I have never honestly seen a child happier to go to school.  All smiles and all energy away she goes to spend time with her idol Mrs. Adams.  She adores her teacher not unlike many early school age children.  Mrs. Adams is awesome and she can do no wrong in Iris's book...just as it should be for a good teacher. 

All that said, I like to think that I am facilitating the "connection"...and that it is a "Rainbow" connection.  All things good, beautiful, and wonderful that our God can provide.  No her life is not perfect.  She has problems in her little life that I would take completely away would I could....  But; as it is, she spends 95% of her little life outside of school with her grandparents who keep her well stocked and provided with the tools of the trade for a delightful four-year-old (or nearly five she likes to remind us).  The paper, pens, pencils, crayons, paints, glitter, glue, scissors, sewing machines, paint brushes, and all the fixings of creativity keep coming.  The music flows, the devices to play it on provided.  Yes; hopefully I am making that Rainbow Connection with this little girl.  Hopefully; she will keep going with all her creativity and I can be a part of it through her.  She is afterall the most beautiful granddaughter in Norwich!

More from Mel (Lilhippiema) later....

Regarding Men on a Mission.... Mormon Missionaries

I guess as we all know, throughout life, there are some things we notice more than others.  Mine is "boys".  Not in the traditional sense either.  But; I spent so many years of my life raising my five, hosting their friends and watching them do all those things that boys do...that I can't help but notice to this day the attributes of a growing young man. 

So all that said, today again I was awakened early by a knock at the door.  Now everyone who knows me knows that I am NOT a morning person. I am up til the wee hours of the night and sleep mornings.  Just how things fall into place (or not) for me.  The dogs got me out of bed and I made it to the door at about 9 a.m. just in time to see the backs of several suited young men gleefully running through yards and around back down to the main road. I knew who they were, or of what they were.  There were about five  young men all dressed pretty much the same going door to door for our Mormon friends.  :)  But; they reminded me of a bunch of just cut loose Butterflies heading for the prettiest flower on the property.  Just dancing away and going through all those athletic wannabe contortions that young men do...   You know, like when they can't go through a doorway without making sure they still can or can't jump up and touch it?  Or having jumping contests to see if any of them YET can touch the ceiling.  Those were the days.  The days I miss. 

In spite of all that I have to say to our Mormon friends that I don't bite!  :)  I am not Mormon but I do tolerate.  I remember the crew I had way back...about ten years ago. They would come by and we would chat for a while and drink some lemonade or water or something, usually in the yard, and they would be on their way. The nicest bunch I ever had.  :)  This Summer is the first Summer I have had a group knock on my door since.  This being their second attempt that I know of, I have to say, they should try later in the day!  :)  Perhaps with a little more purpose and intent and give folks a chance to answer the door, and maybe not act as if noone was watching them flee down the hill dancing all the way!

Did anyone ever visit that heavily advertised chat thing they have going on?  I tried to one night just to check it out.  Never got a response from them by email or in the chat program.  Perhaps they should be a little more vigilant in their followups!  :)

Yep, that was my morning starter...  OK wannabe starter.  I went back to bed.  It was afterall not "TIME" for me to get up.

Hope to hear from some of you soon!
Melody

Aren't You Sorry You Did Now?

I was before and I definnitely am now.  Almost time for our new CEO of Everything's speech...  More socialism abounds for us all.  Saw the tendencies before he started and definitely see more of it now.  I fear that next he will make a state religion with him as CEO of that too.  Guess we all know who HIM is.....  More later!  Almost time for HIS hour.

Mel

Kindergarten Was Never Like This For Me!

My Iris started Kindergarten this year.  She will be five the end of the month.  She has now made it through about five days of school.  :)  The stories she tells make me well aware that school is just not what it used to be!  I find myself regaled(?) with tales of "purple girls" who never do anything good, girls with hair like this and girls with hair like that....none of the poor things apparently have any names.  Also; there seems to be a strange deficiency of boy presences.  Apparently; lunch is totally different than it was in my day.  Lunch is delivered to HER in her classroom by "her servants" who do whatever she wants!  Today's lunch was chocolate brownies.  Everyone just ate chocolate brownies.  Seems a high price to pay $2.50 for a lunch of JUST brownies!  However; she did mention telling them how to make a peanut butter and butter sandwich so perhaps lunch tomorrow will be better.  There is hope! With the exception of the "purple girl" who apparently is from another planet school is declared to be "awesome" in every respect! 

I suppose I could call and get more details on the $2.50 brownie lunch delivered by servants and the "purple girl" but I hate to shatter the images playing in my mind that make me laugh so much.  :)  I mean the reality might not be nearly as pretty!  :)  So I stick to the Iris version of school.  Wishing mine had been like that.....

Loving Grammie Mel

PS:  I have encouraged creativity and imagination in this child from the beginning.  I wonder if that has something to do with her portrayal and descriptions of her class?

Mel's Chinese Connection ....

OK...just a brief history of the how's and why's!  Long long ago in a land far away, but still kept in the memories, Melody got married and moved with her active duty Navy Sub Sailor spouse to Hawaii.  There my first and best friend was to be Tessie (MeClaughlin).  Tessie was fresh from the Phillipines and spoke Tagalog and very little if any English when she initially joined her Navy Sub Sailor Spouse in Hawaii.  Well; food is afterall a "universal" language.  :)  We communicated initially through food.  She made some wonderful foods which I learned to make through my repertoire of skills and experience, watching her.  These things included my later "personalized" method of making Pork Fried Rice, Pancit, and Lumpia.  :)  All of these are great!  I don't make these things nearly as often as I did while my family was growing up but I do still make them periodically.  Never met anyone who did not like my fried rice!  :)

Well fast forward to more in the present land of time.  :)  Nowadays; my first son born in Hawaii, is with his SO a native born and raised Chinese lady.  :)  She too speaks very little language.  My granddaughter (rerun for most of you) is therefore Chinese American.  Her mom does traditional ethnic type Chinese cooking the likes of which is never seen to my knowledge in the myriad Chinese restaurants out there.  :)

Anyhow; this nutshell version is brought to you all because I have had a request from someone not only about my common userid "Tofugrammie" but asking as an "oh by the way" if I had a recipe for good fried rice.  She alas did not know me at all or any of my history!  Hi Clouddancer!  LOL  So later today, hopefully, will post my time tested, boy tested, crowd tested Pork Fried Rice recipe (substitutions will be allowed).

Hope you all have a great day!
Melody