The future being my daughter heading off to her first day of kindergarten.   I am so proud of her and she was very excited.  Of course I cried seeing my baby growing up and she was just cool and ready for school.  Wondering if they would have recess today…LOL!!

It’s hard to believe that 5 years almost 6 have gone by already.   I remember my Mom telling me to cherish every moment because she will be grown up and off to college before I know it, well she was right.  Time does seem to fly by watching your children grow.   But what a wonderful way to spend time.

The past being the old City Hall and Police Department in Shelby being torn down due to the damage from the flood 2 years ago.   I know the building was unsafe but it’s a part of my hometown and to see it gone makes you a bit sad.   But that was the past and now you move on ahead to the future.

Goodbye to City Hall….

I went to my little girls open house for kindergarten last night.  It was so strange to be at this small table with these little chairs to sit in and listen to a teacher speak again, I felt like a child again…be quiet and listen…LOL!!

Her teacher is wonderful and her classroom cool.   And with Shelby going to all day kindergarten the children have so many activities to be involved.   As do the parents, we were sent home with a list of things we can volunteer for and I need to look it over and see how I can work around my schedule and help out.

As Mrs Depler was going over the things that will happening during the school year, all us parents were paying attention while the kids were looking out the window at the playground.   It was hot and stuffy in the room so the teacher knew everyone wanted to get outside.   And off we went to the playground, you would think that was the only reason to go to school….well it is isn’t it….LOL!!   And with 100 kids in kindergarten at my daughters school I’m sure playground time will be welcome by kids and teachers both…LOL!

As I sat there listening to what all was going to be happening in the school year I thought this is great, learning about new things and experiencing new adventures…why did I ever want to hurry up and grow up???

As I send my beautiful daughter off to kindergarten on Monday I will be happy and sad, she isn’t my little baby anymore, she is a big girl as she tells me every day.  But I am one proud Mama, she is amazing!  It’s all about the playground…LOL!!

We use them everyday and take them for granted for the most part.   Words to me are something I seem to be drawn to ever since I can remember.  Whether it was unwrapping an album and reading all the liner notes and lyrics, or reading a book, or writing my thoughts in a journal or in poetry.   When reading lyrics or poems I search for every meaning in each word that the writer is trying to let us see through their eyes or through our own.   I want to feel connected to a song or poem and that is why I spend time rereading them, to feel the connection.   And when reading a book, I want to see the words as a picture as I read each chapter.  Being able to see the characters in my mind going through whatever is happening in the book.  A little movie happening in my mind I guess you could say.

Today is Poet’s Day and I think that is awesome.   There are so many wonderful poets to read….William Blake, Elizabeth Barrett Browing, W Jude Asher, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Poe….and the list goes on and on.   I have been reading poems since I was young around 11 and loved the writings of these and many more.  I want to share this with my daughter when she is a bit older and let her appreciate poetry and find her favorites.

I would never compare myself to any of the poets I mentioned, but I do write often and usually about my life and whatever I may be going through at the time.   And yes it’s true that you write better during heartache or when you are in love.   Here is one that I am proud of and I wrote it during a heartbreaking time in my life.

 Painless

weathered remnants
from enduring rains
icey droplets,
piercing painfully
a melted sheath
bitterness exposed
underneath.

blistered wounds
inflamed with poison
slowly leaking
burning inside.
a silent scream,
finally I am
redeemed.

and it did so quickly!   But it was a fun one and I spent time with my little girl and friends.

On Saturday LeighAnn my dear wonderful friend invited us to go with her to her uncle’s place which has an amazing pond and beach!   The kids had a blast as did the adults.  A nice day just relaxing and taking in the wonderful summer day!    Thanks again LeighAnn and David and Mary, Emily and I had a fun day!

Watched some movies over the weekend.  My daughter wanted to rent Marley and Me, which I knew the outcome but she insisted.  I really liked the movie even though the ending is so sad, and little Miss Emily fell asleep before the end so she thinks the movie was great.  Luckily it is due back today!   Then flipping channels yesterday we came across Rocky and she wanted to see it and she was cheering Rocky on…too funny!   With so many summer reruns I was flipping channels last night and stopped on We Are Marshall, a movie I have seem a couple of times already, but watched it again, such a heartbreaking…moving…inspiring story.  If you’ve never seen this movie, try to watch it sometime, good movie based on the tragedy of the football team and townspeople killed in an airplane crash in 1970. 

Hard to believe only 2 weeks of August left…once again where did the summer go??

I had a wonderful one last night!  I took my daughter and my friend and her two girls to the concert in the park in Shelby last night.   They have them every Wednesday night during the summer.   It was a nice cool evening and a perfect night to sit out and listen to music.

The band was The Ribtickler Band, and WOW….they were great!   They played, some jazz, blues, dixieland and big band.  I grew up listening to that music from my parents, mostly my Dad and it brought back many great memories of my Dad and how he loved that music and him dancing with my Mom.  The band did a cool version of Amazing Grace, which was my Dad’s favorite hymn.   Thanks to The Ribtickler Band for giving us great music to listen to and for bringing back wonderful memories of my Dad.

Our little girls were clapping and dancing and just having fun.  My friend LeighAnn and I sat there feeling great listening to music  and forget our worries for 90 minutes.

It’s amazing how the simplest of things can make you feel good and happy.  And with summertime being outside and just enjoying the night air and the late in the evening sun is something I hate to see end…summer is getting near it’s end….bummer!   But still plenty of time to get out and enjoy it and I hope all of you do and if you are ever in Shelby on a Wednesday night during the summer check out our concerts in the park, you will have a wonderful time!

 Here is the band from last night….

My family will be doing that this weekend for my Mom’s 80th Birthday!  My brother and his family are coming up from Tennesse and my aunt from North Carolina.   My Mom was so happy we wanted to give her a celebration for her birthday.   She is having close friends and other family to the party and I know it will be a great day on Saturday.

My Mom is the sweetest woman I know, she never has an unkind word about anyone and she isn’t just my Mom she is my best friend.   She lives a very full life and is on the go more than I am….LOL!!   She never seems older to me, I still see the Mom I did as a kid growing up and she likes the music I listen to and I think she is cool for a Mom.   She has been my inspiration on being the best Mom I can be to my daughter.

So this weekend for me will be a celebration of having a wonderful Mom who isn’t getting older, just getting wiser and cooler!!

Hope your weekend is a good one and you enjoy your family and friends also!