Friday Fragments #2

Thanks to Mrs. 4444 for hosting Friday Fragments.

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The beautiful earrings you see below are an extraordinary gift from Izzy of Stone Spirit. She had a very generous giveaway in January for a necklace made with stones that would "help give love and strength for whatever challenges come your way".

I didn't win the necklace but sweet Izzy made a gift for each of the people who entered! She asked us to give her a suggestion of a particular challenge we were trying to overcome and then she designed a treat for each one of us! At the time I was flooded with funerals and sick loved ones so I asked her for something to give me strength to help us all pull through.

The beautiful deep blue-green stone Izzy chose for my earrings is called Dioptase. It brings forth and helps one to understand the message that "Yesterday is but a memory, tomorrow is but a vision, and today is real."* Izzy said, "Living in the moment is the energy of this mineral!" It's exactly what I needed.

I can't begin to explain how touched I was that a near stranger could pick the perfect stone for me. But after thinking about it further, I realized Izzy has an awareness about people that helps her match stones to the individual. My sincere thanks to Izzy for her thoughtfulness and generosity.

When you have time READ THIS about Izzy and her biological mother. It's stunning. And visit often because she has another giveaway coming up soon on her beautiful blog!

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One of the earliest blogs I followed is by Cindy LaFerle. She is a published author and a writing role model for me. Cindy has such a beautiful way with words that paint a picture as clear as a sunny day. She also has an article featured in the current issue (March/April 2010) of Victoria magazine! It's a full page opposite the inside back cover, which gives her story The Art of Midlife Gardening prominent placement.

This is the cover of the issue, please be on the lookout for it and, when you have time, stop by and congratulate Cindy on her success.

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And speaking of awesome bloggers, Kristina P. of Pulsipher Predilections has definitely reserved a spot in blog heaven some day! She's collecting Snuggies for needy senior citizens during the entire month of March. So far, more than 110 Snuggies have been collected! But there's still time for you to send one too. CLICK HERE for details. She's already received mine!

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Thanks to Hilary of The Smitten Image for awarding me The Post Of The Week for Joy Ride. I am very flattered to be in the great company of the other nominees and recipients.

Do you know Hilary? She's a fabulous photographer and an avid blog reader. I've found a lot of new blogs via her POTW selections. Please check her out!

And with that, all I can say is thank gawd it's friday so I can sleep in on Saturday!

What are you doing this weekend?

Welcome to The Fifty Factor - Joanna

Photo Credit--

Victoria Magazine

Snuggies For Seniors

Post of the Week

* From the book "Love is In the Earth"

She What?

Have you ever done something that, in hindsight, was not your best choice? I'm not talking about a "Wow, I could have had a V-8" moment, I'm talking about a "For the love of god what was I thinking?" moment.

I can only imagine what Megan Barnes from Florida was thinking when she recently (allegedly) crashed into the back of a pick up truck because she was driving while shaving-- her coochie!

Swear on Scouts honor. True story!

Ms Barnes, who at the time was driving on a suspended license had, just the day before, been convicted of driving under the influence. With her ex-husband beside her, which in and of itself raises a red flag on her judgement, she was behind the wheel with her foot on the accelerator while her Ex was steering the car.

Why you ask? Ms Barnes was busy giving her "bikini area", as the cops called it, a little freshening up, you know, a trim of the bush so to speak.

Picture that for a moment if you would....

Sitting in the driver's seat...

Cruising down the road...

With her Ex-husband...

And a sharp object close to your va-jay jay!

Yep, I'm guessing Ms Barnes, or at very least her Ex-husband will be wondering "What was I thinking?" for a very long time.

But wait, there's more.

After the crash, the crazy couple allegedly drove further down the road and changed seats (and possibly put her panties back on?). When the police arrived, the Ex was behind the wheel with a deflated airbag and not a scratch. But Ms Barnes, covered in airbag opening evidence on her face and arms, was in the passenger seat, whose airbag did not open.

Uh-oh, busted!

Why would anyone make such bad choices? Ms Barnes told police she was preparing for a date with her boyfriend. No mention was made of the Ex-husband's lame excuse.

I've made some poor choices in my lifetime and I'll probably make a few more, but there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I will never make a choice that bad.

How about you?

Welcome to The Fifty Factor - Joanna Jenkin

Photo Credit - Bikini - © NatUlrich - Fotolia.com

Photo Credit - Clown - © Georg Preissl - Fotolia.com

Joy Ride

Growing up, our family car was usually one of those huge station wagons with the third seat facing backwards. They were big and roomy and none of us kids ever felt squished sitting together, even with our bulky winter coats on.

My Dad was a car salesman so we never actually owned the cars, rather he drove what were called “demonstrators”, a perk from the dealer he worked for. Seats were always wrapped in plastic and the floors had those annoying paper mats to protect the carpet ones. But every car had that “new car smell” and were shiny and beautiful the classic way cars from the 50s and 60s were.

At the chance of sounding really old, gasoline in my youth, was only thirty-two cents a gallon, which was good since Dad loved to drive. He’d load my mom and us kids into the station wagons and go for rides on Sunday afternoons. We'd circle practically the entire county enjoying our “free entertainment” as he called it.

In the summertime, the windows would be rolled down and we’d sing along to the radio, country western music was his favorite. In the winter, we’d wait in the house until Dad warmed the car up and had scraped all the snow off before we piled into the two back seats to see where the road would take us.

Our rides often ended up at one of two places depending on the time of year-- Either to our town's small air strip to watch planes land and take off, or to rolling hills filled with apple orchids in “the country” for fresh cider and warm, homemade pies.

Fall was Dad's favorite time of the year. Autumns in Ohio might be short in days but they deliver a blaze of stunning colors and crisp air that had him raising his face to the sky as if to gulp in its energy.

Occasionally, my adolescent brain would wonder what the big deal was about seeing miles and miles of fall leaves along country roads, but I never said a peep. I knew when we were headed to the apple farm and I knew how much pleasure it gave my Dad to share his one day off work a week with us.

Sadly, for my dad, he didn’t see nearly enough autumns in Ohio. He died of cancer when he was only 59. It pretty much sucked and I mean no disrespect by that. But "suck" is the only four letter word I can use to describe cancer since this is a PG-13 blog. I'm still angry that he was taken so young after such a hard fight.

It's been more than 16 years since his death and I miss him as much now as I did when he slipped away. At times I actually forget he’s gone and still reach for the phone to call him.

I wonder what Dad would think of his five kids today-- Four daughters and a son all over age 40. He is so much a part of who each one of us is, yet we are all so totally different.

More times than I can count, I’ve wished Dad’s ten grandchildren could learn, first-hand, his down to earth common sense wisdom and his easy-going way with people. I think they would adore him.

It may seem odd, but for years I’ve felt closest to my Dad when I’m in the car. Maybe that’s why I always arrive an hour early to pick up Godson from school. I sit in the car-- alone with myself, and let my mind drift, often landing on memories of him.

Today would be Dad's 76th birthday-- Although I miss him terribly, my heart is full of love and reflections of the man who taught me how to drive, in a big, shiny, new car.

Welcome to The Fifty Factor - Joanna Jenkins

Photo Credit- Car: © OlgaLIS - Fotolia.com

Photo Credit - Foliage: © Katie Chamberlain - Fotolia.com

Sundays In My City #27 - Montana Avenue

Do you know Unknown Mami? She's hosts a great Sunday theme inviting YOU to get out and take pictures of your city and or Sunday to share with the rest of blogland. Click HERE to see Unknown Mami's Sunday in her City today.

For a pleasant afternoon walk, Montana Avenue in Santa Monica California between about 17th and 10th Streets is filled with wonderful restaurants, fancy boutiques and clothing stores, antique and designer shops and a lot of interesting signage. Take this for example...

Like I needed to be reminded of that!

There were no firetrucks in sight but Giselle was having a hot sale...

Entertainment is always available too...

Shop owners maximize their advertising on cute cars...

I figure the Dads are hanging out here while the wife and kids are shopping...

And this sign was on the side of a plumber's van. I wonder if he works Saturdays.

How's your Sunday?

Welcome to The Fifty Factor - Joanna Jenkins

Six Word Saturday - #1

Look who's filming in my neighborhood!

Check out Cate at Show My Face to participate and link up to Six Word Saturday.

Will you be watching the Academy Awards on Sunday?

Welcome to The Fifty Factor - Joanna Jenkins

Photo Credit

My First Friday Fragments

After way too many months, it feels like my blog mojo is nearly within reach, now all I need is for life to cooperate and free-up some good old fashioned blog time.

Until that happens, and with a thanks and a salute to Mrs. 4444 (that's Mrs. Fours) at Half Past Kissing Time, I'm hitching my Friday to her wagon and presenting my first Friday Fragments....

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Did you ever notice people tend to shy away from eating at restaurants that are empty preferring a jammed restaurant requiring a long wait for a table because they assume the jammed food restaurant is better than the empty one. I'm guilty as charged.

That kind of thinking probably explains why, when I recently entered a new doctor's office for a long awaited appointment with the "best in his speciality", it give me pause. His office was completely empty. Uh-huh.

When I was ushered into the exam room at my exact appointment time by the doctor I thought the appointment would be the equivalent of a really bad meal at an over-hyped restaurant. (Funny how my thoughts in a possible crisis always turn to food.)

Turns out however, the doc was great and very helpful! Maybe the next time I see an empty restaurant, I'll give it a try.

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I met a lot of my current blog friends and readers via the kindness and blogging generosity of Lilly of Lilly's Life. She recently took a blogging break but SHE'S BACK and is as fabulous as ever! Please stop by and catch up with her!

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Godson was named Citizen of the Month in February at his middle school! That's a very big deal around here. His mom was so proud at the awards ceremony and brunch, and Godson was beaming when he received his nice certificate and recognized for his kindness and consideration of others.

It was all great until we realized his Mom wasn't getting one of those My Child Is A Citizen Of The Month bumper stickers for her car. She deserves "bragging rights" and frankly, I wanted one too! The Principal claimed "budget cuts" despite having enough funds for bagels and donuts that morning.

To be honest, I used to find those stickers annoying, why I have no idea. But now I get it! We were so disappointed that I'm thinking of printing them up for the school so Godson's Mom and all the other proud parents can brag about their kids too.

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Repair work on our pool and deck started Wednesday -- sort of. The possibility of the pool popping out during draining has slowed things down a bit but there is other general prep work to be done (like removing the deck) so the project got started....

....Until a production manager for a big network drama series knocked on my door. They will be filming the TV show on our street for three days and the huge dumpster and all the power equipment noise will ruin the shoot-- And that's before the jackhammers started or the port-a-potty arrived.

So faster than you could say "That'$ All Folk$" they made me an offer I couldn't refuse, and the dumpster, potty, workers and noise will magically disappear on Friday for the actual filming with the show's stars!

How much $$$ you ask for the inconvenience and missed day of work? It's really a drop in the bucket, but it will allow me to feed our construction crew nicely several times over the course of the next few months. Plus it's one of my favorite TV shows. Now all I have to do is borrow someone's dog to take for a walk and maybe bump into my favorite cast members.

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For more Friday Fragments CLICK HERE.

Do you have a favorite TV show?

Welcome to The Fifty Factor - Joanna Jenkins

Photo Credit - Award: © mikess - Fotolia.com

PS Check out This Stop Willoughby's fabulous GIVEAWAY!