Are You a Keeper?

Dear Keepers,

I grew up in the 50/60's with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a Name for it... A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat, and Mom in a house dress, broom in one hand and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress, things we keep.
It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.
Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So... While we have it.. it's best we love it... And care for it.... And fix it when it's broken.... And heal it when it's sick.

This is true... For marriage.... And old cars... And children with bad report cards..... Dogs and cats with bad hips.... And aging parents..... And grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special..... And so, we keep them close!

I received this from someone who thinks I am a 'keeper', so I've sent it to the people I think of in the same way . Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Keep them close !!
Kind regards,
Me

Our July 4th Family Reunion

Our July 4th Family Reunion

(as seen through beer goggles)

(by Dunlavey)

Katrina's Birthday Party Blues

"So remember how I told you my sister had this tennis tournament and needs me to take care of her boys? Well, of course I'm keeping them the weekend of Josh's birthday. So I re-arranged his birthday party, so it wasn't the weekend of her tournament. Anywho...I sent an evite out for his pool birthday party for Monday (his actual birthday) - the day after her tournament. She looks at the evite, waits a week and then sends me this email:


'Hey! How was Chicago? The pictures on FB looked great. All the parish moms at the tennis center were asking if you were back yet. I wanted to ask you about Josh's Birthday? Do you think he would be very upset if the boys didn't come? They have a swim meet that night which I had already filled out the form saying they would be attending. We filled these out back in May. I'm guessing I can tell them we couldn't come, but since we would be at your house the next night for family night, I didn't know if Josh would be upset. Let me know.'


WTF? Seriously? The kid is turning 6. I planned his kid birthday party around her schedule so his cousins could be there! A swim meet is more important than his birthday? Really?! He's never had a friend birthday party before. If you have to ask me if his feelings would be hurt then you should know that they would! Not to mention mine.


Am I over reacting? SO freaking selfish.


Follow-up email from Katrina's sister:


Katrina,


We will be doing Adam's kids birthday on Sunday, July 4th. Not sure of the time yet, but we will probably do a cookout with neighbors afterwards followed by fireworks. I couldn't remember if you were in town or not. Let me know if you can attend any of it that day.


Thanks,
Amy


Katrina:
OMG, shoot me now.
Really? We always go to the lake over 4th of July with my other sister and her husband. So you plan this on Sunday so we can't come. I am so pissed I can't see straight. How is having a kid birthday party turn into a cookout with the neighbors?


Rant via I.M.
L: Your sister is clueless


K: ok, so i'm not over reacting? i am so pissed. i think i'm going to call her today


L: I think you should tell her that you re-arranged the party not to interfere with her fucking tennis tournament, so they better as heeelll be there


K: but then it will be months again till she talks to me


K: somehow i will be the bad guys in all this


L: of course you will, but that will NEVER change


K: like i'm in considerate of her kids swim meet


L: well, why don't you do something small over the weekend with the boys in recognition of Josh's b-day - their own special time - take them to Chuckee Cheese or something and just let it go


L: and Josh will feel extra special


K: we'll be at the lake with them all weekend


K: it's all about the kids anyway


L: just let her be a freak, but don't let her mess with you


L: set boundaries to protect yourself and always expect that she will do the selfish thing


K: its ok when it's me, but when she starts taking it out on my kids and they lose out - that's what puts me over the edge.


L: I know


K: she is so inconsiderate of me and my time and my family


K: it just sucks and shouldn't be that way


K: my kids ADORE her boys


K: I completely understand, but it won't change


K: i know


K: and i should just let it go, but i can't


K: it eats me up


K: yet she sleeps fine at night


L: bitch to me as much as you want; have a small celebration at the lake - cousin-time


K: sorry to get on a rampage this morning


L: no worries


L: I bet she doesn't sleep fine - she probably worries about irrational crap


L: kharma is a bitch, so I am sure she suffers


L: it's just delusional suffering


K: oh no, she sleeps fine...she told me she was so exhausted the other day because she played tennis, went to the country club to swim with some people, then swam at the tennis center and she just couldn't do another thing


L: LMAO


L: damn, i want that life


K: wtf? i stayed up till 1:00 am making shit for the picinic, got up at 5 to ice the cakes, worked all day, went to josh's ball game and then took my kids to ride night. still had to pack for chicago and got up at 4:30 am to drive


K: but she was exhausted and couldn't do another fucking thing!


L: next year, just give them $6 so they can buy a cake at a local bakery :)


K: i'm still pissed and bitter towards her though!


L: that's ok


L: she's a freak


L: a selfish woman; it's sad that people can get away with that


K: would take the shirt off my back for the people i care about


L: then you'd ahve to walk around in just your bra


K: that would be so ugly


K: people would give me the shirt back!


L: right


L: give them something else


L: we don't want to be walking arund half-naked


K: might scare off the natives

What Goes Around, Comes Around

Have you no shame?


So my father is lying in the ER, gasping for air like a fish out of water. We've just found him in his apartment after he spent two days in bed suffering from congestive heart failure, kidney failure, respiratory failure, etc. So, here he is, trying to breath, trying to live, and my mother walks in and stands next to the bed. Mind you, they've been divorce since 1981 when she ran off with her boss, but it doesn't stop her from coming around. Anyway, so there's Dad, on the brink of death, and my mother observing his situation, proclaims quite loudly, "My GOD! I hope I never look like that!!"

Orange Blossom Special

Uncle Pretty got so drunk one time that he fell asleep on some railroad tracks. A train came by and ran him over. Cut off his leg and he didn't even know it. He survived, of course, and went on to marry his brother-in-law, Earl's (sister Maybelle's husband) sister. I believe her name was Mamie. I guess pickins were slim back then.