Everyone Can Use A Little Emily

Emily loves to stick her tongue out just as I snap a picture.

"Oh relax Mom. Takenother" "Why? So you can stick your tongue out again?"

Whatever floats your boat, Em.

Prepping for a dance

She is nothing, if not all girl. From hair color to lips, the girl knows the color she wants and will accept nothing less. I guess this is good for the most part.

April 2009 ... one of the first pictures with the new camera

"Yes Mom, takenother picture." "Sure Em, while you have Amy in a death grip ... "

Salisbury Beach, August 2009

Little poser. Shake it girl!

The younger cousin is taller and the older cousin is smaller. Michael & Emily, August 2009.

Having a great visit with cousin Michael and Thomas, who is missing from the photos.

"Mom, Timber was smelling my butt." "Stay away from him then." "Eewww, it's discussing." "Yes, it is."

Today's Thinking Is Thematic

So there I was driving along thinking about my blog.

I know not why ...

I've learned that when you lose an on-line friend to death the grief you feel and experience is every bit as real as the grief you feel and experience when you lose a face-to-face friend.

Painful. Difficult to get through.

When Flamingo Feathers & I were Life on Flamingo Row @ AOL, I made a close girlfriend an ex-friend. Honestly. Honestly. It was a tough decision that two years later pains me in some ways. But it was also the best decision.

It is impossible to keep up with every blog I follow or read on a regular basis.

I am grateful for bloggers who spread the word when someone is struggling. It is good to know when you really need to stop by ... and it is good to take the time to do so.

Through blogging and reading others blogs I've finally recognized that I should be appreciated for my talents and that I don't have to live up to the talents others impose upon me because they perceive me to have a talent or ability that I do not. (see comment I made on this paragraph)

There you have it, me, waxing all philosophical. Or not.

I Don't Like To Lose Followers

Do you? No, of course not. I've noticed that my followers box number goes UP then down.

Thankfully, more up than down. Because really, although I write for myself as a way to chronicle the dribs, drabs, adventures, misguided moments and daily drivel in my life, the truth is, if you blog you like to have readers.

Here are some things I've learned about myself and life since I began blogging ... nearly six years ago now.

If my old faithfuls were to go away, I'd be crushed.

Blogging is not my life, but it is a part of my life.

It is easier to tell complete strangers and on-line friends the details of my life than it is to sit down face to face with my friends and loved ones to do the same.

They judge me. You don't.

I've made lasting friendships here that have evolved into phone calls, e-mails and snail mail.

I hope to meet these friends in the flesh. With clothes on, of course.

It is easier for me to give my opinion, even when it differs from your opinion, right here in my blog. Or yours.

I enjoy offering a word of silly, praise, support or encouragement to other bloggers who write.

It's okay for me to pray. You don't have to, but I do. And I pray for all of you. In times of need and not.

I don't judge my on-line friends. But sometimes I do judge my real time friends. (got to work on that)

There are many unusual, interesting and fun people who blog --about as many varied subjects as there are bloggers.

I have had moments of complete clarity while writing here or reading ... there.

While I don't write nearly every day as I used to, I miss my time writing and posting and reading ... when I am unable.

Community isn't the town you live in. It's the people who live in the town.

I know. Totally mind blowing thoughts, eh?

Click Here

Just now, as I was beginning a second post for today I happened to left click in the title box in the compose mode.

Two things popped up. The first 'Eighteen Holes' the title of my just entered post and 'where is the knock sensor on a 2001 Nissan Quest'.

I'm pretty sure I wasn't going to write about that.

In fact, I know my husband was looking that up just a week or so ago. How it ended up here is beyond me.

One word might explain it.

Computers.

Eighteen Holes

Wait for the silly. It'll be at the end. ;) On Monday, August 17th I headed out early in the morning to Olde Salem Greens http://www.salem.com/Pages/SalemMA_REcreation/golfcourse
This is the view of the club house and restaurant from the women's tee of the first hole.

to play eighteen holes in a charity tournament. The day dawned sunny and nice and quickly turned to hot and humid. The temps hovered in the 90's all day. Phew ... it was hot! And wet!


Women's tee, first hole. Tina begins her drive shot.


Our foursome is made up of myself, Tina, Lorraine and whomever we can beg, borrow, steal, cajole or pressure into playing with us! Usually we don't have to work too hard to get someone to join us. Last year, a lovely young teen joined us. She can really drive a golf ball.

The charity is http://www.stephenogrady.com/ in memory of friend Beth's late brother. Stephen was killed in an accident ten years ago ... caused by a drunk driver. At the time I was an firefighter/EMT for the town and responded to the call. I did not know it at the time ...

Beth and her family and some of Stephen's friends set up the foundation to honor and remember him and chose to raise money for the youth of Salem. So far the organization has donated over $100,000.00 in ten years. The money is raised through the golf tournament, a oldies dance, a comedy night and marathons that Beth runs. Big ones. Long ones. She never ran a day in her life ... and then ... she ran through her grief. And while doing that ... she has been able to honor her brother's life and memory.


Coolest place all day. Next to a marker in the shade.


Sarah and Lorraine choose their clubs for a fairway shot.

After the tournament we all head over to the Knight's of Columbus Hall and have a wonderful barbecue lunch and get to visit with the other golfers and friends who volunteer to make the day a successful one! There are many raffle prizes as well as 'good golfer' prizes. Oh, don't worry -- we never win!

Now for the funny. Lorraine, Tina and I play golf at a local, eighteen hole, three par course every Wednesday morning. In a 'casual' league that plays only nine of the eighteen holes. One week we play the back nine, the alternating week we play the front nine. There are rules and prizes and such, but the league is all level of player from beginner to expert. We like this league as there is no pressure to perform for anyone but yourself.

Last week, while standing at the tenth hole tee box waiting for the group in front to move on ... Lorraine was watching the grounds crew deliver and drop off some bushes and trees near the tee. She was looking around and as she explains it, before she said what she said ... she realized how much open space and land there is on the course ...

"You know, they have so much land here, this could be an eighteen hole course!"

To which Tina replied, "It is!"

Doug & Amanda 8/2/2009

My father's family was large ... there were eleven or maybe twelve siblings. Henry, Donald, Robert, Addison, Nancy, Florence, Jessie, Isabelle, Nora and Dear Lord! I've forgotten the rest. I'll have to dig through a manila envelope to garner the rest of the names or with luck they'll come to me as I write.

As things went so many years ago,my Canadian relatives immigrated here to the North Shore, married, had children, lived long happy (and not so happy) lives and now, we cousins are the three generations of that side of the family left. No longer are there elders to look to for family history or stories ... all have gone on to, well, I hope, Heaven. But maybe there's one or two that didn't quite get that far.

Yesterday I attended the wedding of my second cousin's daughter, Amanda. Diane and I are six months apart in age and so while her mother and aunts were my first cousins, only one remains, Barbara, now in her seventies. Diane and I were close as kids spending many weekends at each others homes and thoroughly enjoying each other until we weren't.

The we weren't part was merely a bump in the road of growing up. A city girl. A country girl. A daring girl. A chicken girl -- Me! Now we see each other infrequently, but always in good cheer -- glad to spend time with one another.

It was nice to see (I mean hear) this rather large contingent of cousins although not all were able to attend. Arthur and Terri live out of state and were not able to make the trip. Unfortunate, that. Still others, may not have been included -- be it budget or personalities, I didn't ask.

But Diane, Donald, Nancy, David, Johnny, Laura, Ramona, Donna, Barbara, Vanessa, Alicia, Joseph, Jacob, Jenniker, Aiden, Catiana, Brittany, and of course, the bride, Amanda were all in attendance. They are so much fun to spend time with!


Did I mention that this group is completely out of control? There is no rounding them up and getting them to stand still, so pictures were done however they could happen.

The groom serenades his bride with a song he wrote for her .... and the bride thanks the groom with a wonderful kiss!