My Grama's Soul

Hi dear friends.  This is a photo of me on my 70th birthday.  It was taken at a dinner in celebration of same.  I'll soon be 71 and of course should have spoken out about this little issue earlier.   Why is it that in today's society that once you are past 60 or 65 you suddenly become invisible.  Your opinion seem to no longer matter, your visibility all but goes into a closet and any  thing of new  interest always seems to be about the young.  I know.....we have had our "time in the sun" so to speak...but we still have ideas and comments to contribute to the world. I follow a number of different media sources and rarely are the older folks even mentioned.  We are still here and we still are interested in design, beauty, art, culture, reading, making a living, cooking, people, travel.....just to name a few things...and the list could go on and on.  Oh.....didn't even MENTION politics!!! Often times...even...

I'm afraid I'm the sort of gal who can never leave well enough alone.  (O: Anytime I find something I love to incorporate in our home...I end up changing it in some way. These pieces are things we have had for quite sometime and I wanted to give them a little different feel. The Mola above was purchased in Panama in the 60's while I lived down there with my first husband.  I had the old frame laying around...it was an antique gold.  I thought it would be more striking painted a dark, dark bluish purple.  Completely changes the feel of the thing. This old funky mirror was actually in a pile of junk.  The frame was silver..but I loved the funky look of it.  Brought it home, glued the small mirror in the center and painted the frame that same moroccan blue.  Looks so much more interesting. And finally this old lampshade...it has been a million different colors as I paint it whenever the mood strikes.  Blue again~...

Have any of you been fortunate enough to have a life long girlfriend? I know......I haven't.  Oh I have friends that have been in my life for many, many years...but I don't have one left that is from my pre- school or grammar school years.   Occasionally one will come to mind such as Stephanie....my very best friend....in my middle school years.  I spent hours at her house playing tether-ball....gads...I wonder if anyone even knows what tether-ball is in today's world? Another one....Jenny....in my early school years in a very small town in Kansas.  Alas, my family ended up moving far away from its roots so....no more Jenny. And there was Nancy....she was PERFECT....I mean perfect in the nicest way.  Her clothes were always ironed, her skin and hair were beautiful, she was kind and her mom was A STAY AT HOME MOM. They had dessert EVERY NIGHT after dinner....I mean every night!!! A kid's dream. Each of these girls touched my life in a specia...

 ~~~~~ Ancient cultures and religions oftentimes believed in fate or destiny.......Your fate was determined by the stars, tea leaves, stones, bones or many other ways that were open for personal interpretation. Events were often blamed on fate and predestination. Modern society often questions the validity of fate. In today's world...why is it that some people seem to have all the luck....and other's none at all? Or why is it that some people have to blame everyone else for their unfortunate circumstance? I know that life....at one time or another....kicks all of us in the gut.....but where does one's responsibility begin and end about one's life. In my own humble opinion...I believe each of us is responsible for our character and how we handle what comes our way.  Having come from very difficult beginnings...I know firsthand how easy it is to blame my parents, my family, my job, etc....for whatever ills befall me.  But.....taking that one step further...