fall back

We turned our clocks back on Sunday.
This time change always seems like a
symbolic end of playful sunny days.
A turn to cooler SPARKLES of the year…
A welcome extra hour of sleep.
New Adventures
Dreamy Clouds
Turkeys & Feasts
Cleansing Rainstorms
Amazing Fall Colors
Touchdown!

Corn Mazes & Hayrides
Toasty Crackling Fireplace
Spicy Mulled Cider
Go Lakers!
Fragrant Pinecones
Splashing Hats & Rainboots
Hot Cocoa with marshmallows
Walking Briskly in the Breeze
Joyful Octoberfests
Bountiful Fall Gardens
Energizing Wind
Yummy Apples & Pumpkins
Happy Holiday Parties
Always Giving Thanks!!!

A note to my Girls ~ I do believe, in my heart,

that there are always more HAPPY people

than unhappy people.

You just have to know where to look.

morning after the storm.

b.q.

new sparkles in my mind…

~ recent happy moments..

• DD being accepted into a great RN program. I’ll never understand why it’s so hard to get into a nursing program. Excellent; a new chapter in her life. Congrats with love. Dream big! You can do it!
  
• KK officially becoming a Certified Personal Trainer at age 19 – Extraordinary!, & as her Uncle Dr B said, “ She‘s our Million Dollar Bebe!” ( just a lucrative part time job as she zips through college)
  
• BB enthusiastically pursuing both of her passions: art & animals. Who says you can’t do both? Exciting great things to come…gifted genius!
  
• C.F. getting down to business, seeking new ways to make a quantum leap in the worst economy of our lifetime; turning this depressing recession into a chance of a lifetime. WOW!
  
• M.A.N. being told by Mrs Puck, that she refuses to have any other contractor work on her home. Cool job, yummy Puck pizza for lunch – lucky! Also working on Mario’s new Mozza-To-Go. Yum again. Never mind that they are 2 of my favorite chefs.
  
• Enjoying the once a week little “date” that M.A.N. finds time for; usually a leisurely dinner, & an adventure. Treasured time together.
  
• Realizing how much I’ve learned in depth about real estate, stocks, & business in the past 5 years. Never too late to learn more! So different from nursing though; no level of conscience or ethics.
  
• Finding bliss, listening to MY music now, throughout the day, taking breaks at will, playing with my doggie-buddy, Bandit, planning a moss faerie garden under my young Jacaranda. Perks of working at home, with the Girls out & about; busy with college & work. Solitude can be golden!
  
• Enjoying every chance to soak up the love & youth from my 2 precious Grandkids. It's all about the circle of life.
  
• Beautiful orchids blooming on the little plant I bought 2 years ago at Thanksgiving, when we dedicated the celebration to Mom & Dad.

::love eternal::

• Life is good.
  b.q.

pet peeves

Ø Stepping on dog poop, gum, or any bodily excretion.
(grrrosss)
Ø Parents not keeping a close eye on
their kids at swim parties.
(Bless the responsible Parents who hire lifeguards for these pool parties!)
Ø Filthy trash left at the lake, the beach, the park, etc.
(especially dirty diapers!)
Ø The plethora of germs on escalator rails, gas pumps, public drinking fountains, & apparently on slices of lemons in restaurants.
(no, I’m not a germaphob)
Ø Gophers.
(Dad eliminated them by putting in
a big swimming pool. Ha!)
Ø Digital cable outage (again)
Ø Big fat pig-ass City workers stopping their work,
to gawk at my Daughters as they
leave for school or work.
(Where’s my tazer?)
Ø Any employee at an eatery picking their nose.
(uhhh, gotta go.)
Ø The smell of natto.
(As a child, I had to leave the table.)
Ø Biting flies on my German Shepherd’s ears. (ouch)
Ø OTC meds packaging that is impossible to open.
(ohhh, my sinus headache is exploding!)

b.q.

Silent Sunday - I've Got Your Back!

Kaylee, Jayce, Jules.
I cherish this!
xo,
c.f.

My M.A.N.

M.A.N.~ my 1 & Only Husband’s initials.
And, what a MAN he is.
My partner in life, love, anguish, work,
& wacky adventures for over 35 years.
Very proud Father of our 4 amazing Daughters.
Thrilled as a Grandpa, blasting through
a daily Bowflex routine; gotta stay in shape to
keep up with our 2 incredible Grandkids.
A self-made man, successful General Contractor,
boat & camping lover, sports nut, fixer of all things,
Neighborhood Watch "Captain",
friend to many, foe to few.

He did come with a ton of horrible w/t baggage.
A product of a miserable & deprived childhood,
stuck with a fake back stabbing family,
that still pretends to be attached to each other
in some bizarre fashion.
bakayaros.

Full disclosure:
He still smokes outside, even though his dad is dying
from a cancer eating up his lungs.
He snores like a Harley without baffles.
Won't let our dog in the house.
Hasn't completed restoring my '69 Ford Mustang.
Refuses to eat any form of seafood
(traumatic fish stick episode as a child).
Can't seem to complete our
home improvement projects, even though
he is a top notch General Contractor.
It's a good thing he had his feet covered,
when I met him.
He is generous to a fault.
Has no character judgement.
He's absolutely a lunatic magnet.

Regardless, my MAN is a keeper.
He loves & protects us, works until he drops,
never gives up, & always steps up for our Family.
Love you always, my MAN.

b.q.

Happy, Hapa, & Genious

Let's start with our 4 extraordinary daughters.
Something about Hapa children is, without a doubt,
the magic of both worlds. Eur-Asian.
In this case, 50% Japanese + a sparkle of
Irish, German, & perhaps a dash of
French & American Indian
(the last 2 seem more rumor than fact in my book).
Beautiful minds & hearts.
A bonus of beauty in their appearance & souls.
Each one with her own special story.
Stay tuned.
My Girls, my happy heart.

Oh, yes, my credo : If my Girls are ever in harm’s way, I am a explosive unstoppable Mama Bear. NEVER, EVER mess with my Girls. I will hunt you down, & haunt you into the next world.

A little sidebar:
I know nothing we endure day -to-day
is close to the enourmous task tackled
by two special parents, Jon & Kate Gosselin.
Feeling like an overwhelmed
going-off-the-deep-end mommy?
Can’t take it anymore??? Take a very deep breath,
& please watch a few episodes of
JON & KATE PLUS EIGHT, now on TLC.
Enough said.

Incidentally, we are honestly of true Samurai blood. Always be tough, never give up. I remind my children, they will remind their children. So, the Spirit lives on. Generation to generation. Yamato Damashi!

After raising 4 uniquely dazzling daughters, a Granddaughter would have a challenge to bring something new to the All-Girl Family table. No sweat. She is a delicate gift of pure beauty and cerebral wonder. Our own special version of Zippy; a precious gift, bursting with imagination.
(Thank you, Haven Kimmel,
for A Girl Named Zippy - a great read!)
Are we witnessing a photographic memory in our
young cup of magic, or is she just soaking up
every bit of life from dawn’s crack to the
first glint of moondust?
Curiosity with gleeful intelligence and compassion.
Tough as nails; as awesome as any rainbow.
Like her Mom, always making me SMILE.
Always bringing Balance to the Force.
Happy is as Happy does.

A note about a great thinker, Thomas Sowell, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
(Incidentally, his comments about the current Presidential race are the most intellectually correct that I’ve seen. He sees right to the core of the truth.
Truth which could make or break this nation.)

Now, switching subjects to one close to my heart.
The research and resulting books Mr. Sowell wrote
about late talkers, & the often misunderstood
Einstein Syndrome children = priceless.
Thank you, Thomas Sowell, for shining a light on
the intriguing life of our Grandson.
My Little Man.
Intense curiosity in his mesmerizing eyes,
incredible hands, skills & comprehension
so far beyond his age.
Approaching each day so eager to figure out
how things are put together, building,
deconstructing, & always watching.
A busy brain, a very busy brain.
Teaching himself to walk at 8 ½ mos by
intensely watching his Big Sis.
Just jumping on to ride a 2-wheeler & skateboard
at the tender age of 3.
Watch, question, learn, DO IT!
Mundane conversation, not for him,
but look in those huge eyes;
always analyzing, always observing…
movement, performance, technique, relationships.
Teaching himself everything possible,
quickly, precisely.
Curious & happy.
A young Genius in the making.
Oh yes, & idolizing his Big Sister to the max.

b.q.