Wide Awake...

...@ 12:49 a.m,-Wednesday morn! Cold & freezing outside but thankfully nice & warm inside. Still trying to unwind from this past weekend--but still smiling! I was like this last week--pulling my hair out planning out all the details.

For Us!?

Golden Doves,
originally uploaded by nieve44.

photo courtesy of Mario

Yes, Mom for you and for Dad and for honoring our family with such a momentous occasion and a wonderful milestone. This is just a peek into the past weekend's events and the doves were a central theme in the celebration. We had arrived on Friday and the ballroom had just beed decorated for the reception on Saturday and when mom & dad walked in and saw the transformation of the ballroom which had been decorated with golden trim on chairs & tables and special linen's and mom made the comment....this is not for us! There must be another event happening tonight. She & dad both started crying when my brother told her, "yes mom & dad-it's for you and dad. That would be the first of many surprises in this past weekend's events. I'm still trying to process all the magic the happened. I am blessed to have such a wonderful family and thanks to friend's and loved ones who came to share such a momentous occasion. I am still smiling and probably will be for a long time to come.

RIP-Yvonne DeCarlo

She indeed was such a beauty,

something we had forgotten about

after seeing her as Lily on the Munsters,

which will always be one of my favorite shows.

I Want!

Cool Stuff and

Something for the New Year!

~~~~

I hadn't realized that I hadn't posted for the new year yet. Time has flown! I think today is already the 9th day. I've been so consumed with planning the 50th Anniversary Celebration for my parents that I've been loosing track of time. This has been in the making for the past 2 years...see here and here. So much to do but it's starting to all fall in place--I think! I hope! I want! I want it to be such a special day--afterall how many families/couples get to celebrate such a milestone in this day and age. One of my dear friends mother passed away two years ago and his family did not get to celebrate such an event for their parents. He told me to go all out and do the special things I wanted to do because you only get one chance--if even that. Anyways, I digressed. I will post pics and a post-party celebration of events. I wish you all could come! Let me know if you can and I will have the limo pick you up! ;-) Just one of the few special surprises that my parents don't know about!

FOO FOO

Word of the day: Foo Foo
Music: Shaman by Santana
Mood: Tired

I'm listening to some great music by Santana and sitting here dancing in my chair. One of the songs it titled, "Foo Foo". Not sure what that means but I found it comical.

BTW, tired because of long two weeks in preparation for my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary. Some things are starting to fall into place but other things are not but they are little things that can be fixed. I just need to pace myself in the next two weeks and keep my fingers crossed that everything falls into place and the day turns out magical. In some ways, I'm looking forward to a new year but in other ways I'm not as I usually take time to detox my body from the bad & ugly of the old in order to renew my spirit for the new. I need to make some time and squeeze that in. How I wish I could be here in Santa Fe and just sit in the utter stillness of such beauty.

Nanita Nana

Christmas '06 - Presepe 16,
originally uploaded by *Checco*.

~~~~~~~~~

*A la Nanita Nana -- This is a traditional Spanish Carol

--a 'nana,' or lullaby--to the Christ child...

A la nanita nana, nanita ea, nanita ea,
Mi Jesús tiene sueño, bendito sea, bendito sea.
(repeat)
Fuentecilla que corres clara y sonora,
Ruiseñor q'en la selva cantando lloras,
Callad mientras la cuna se balancea.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A la nanita nana, nanita ea, nanita ea,
My Jesus is sleeping, come and behold Him, come and behold Him.
(repeat)
Little brook everflowing, rushing and ringing,
Nightingale in the forest, calling and singing,
Hush now, while the cradle softly sways.

...one of the most beautiful songs I've heard sung by Tish Hinojosa.

*Lyrics/translation found here.

Ode to the Morning Star

Seasons Greetings to you and yours.

Morning Glory

No lyrics to post today...just the title from the song I'm listening to by the guitarist Ottmar Liebert and taken from the CD, "Poets & Angels". If you don't have this in your catalog treat yourself or a friend and bask in the richness of Music 4 the Holidays and more can be found here and here. BTW, I chose morning glory as it's just after midnight on Tuesday and oh so thankful that I get to sleep in this morning as the previous morn I was up @ 5:30 and awaken by another kind of morning glory--rain! Unfortunately, I had to get up and drive in it but I was thankful to have three co-pilots and the day trip was worth it. ;-)

The Great Indoors

Check your pulse it's proof that you're not listening to,

The call your life's been issuing you

The rhythm of a line of idle days

Scared of a world outside you should go explore

Pull all the shades and wander the great indoors

Lamplight makes the shadows play

And posters take the walls away

The T.V. is your window pane

The view won't let you down

So put your faith in a late night show

I bet you didn't even know

Depends on how far out you go

The channel numbers change

Scared of a world outside you should go explore

Pull all the shades and wander the great indoors

Though lately I can't blame you

I have seen some of your world

And sometimes wish your room had room for two

So go unlock the door

And find what you are here for

Leave the great indoors

Check your pulse it's proof that you're not listening to

The call your life's been issuing you and

The rhythm of a line of idle days.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lyrics by John Mayer

Sometimes, I get caught up in my indoor world that I tend to miss the call that life is issuing me.

In Repair

Too many shadows in my room

Too many hours in this midnight

Too many corners in my mind

So much to do to set my heart right

Oh it's taking so long I could be wrong,

I could be ready

Oh, but if I take my heart's advice

I should assume it's still unsteady

I am in repair, I am in repair

Stood on the corner (of my balcony) for a while

To wait for the wind to blow down on me

Hoping it takes with it my old ways

And brings some brand new look upon me...

And now I'm walking in a park

All of the birds they dance below me

Maybe when things turn green again

It will be good to say you know me.

Oh I'm never really ready,

I'm never really ready I'm in repair,

I'm not together but I'm getting there....

```````````````````

Lyrics by John Mayer, Continuum

Suerte

originally uploaded by ggtem.

Word of the day: Suerte
Music: Suerte, Shakira
Mood: Content

Suerte can mean fate, lot or luck in Spanish. Tener mala suerte can mean to have bad luck. So either you have suerte or mala suerte. I had a moment of mala suerte on Friday evening when I dropped my phone in water. Afterwards, it was working but then became worse and didn't. This morning suerte has it working...somewhat! Still, $50 bucks later and thanks to insurance I am getting a new phone on Tuesday. I almost went a whole year without anything major happening to my phone!

Anyways, the above photo is not mine, it belongs to my niece Erika. I opened a Flickr account for her yesterday and she's hooked! She reminds me of myself at her age in that, I bought an inexpensive camera back then and was always taking photos. She's also got brains and beauty. Yes, suerte is on her side! Here's to continued suerte!

Psss...content mood is because I finished a major project for my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary. We made over #200 decorations for the table AND they came out beautiful! I am so happy to have that behind me. I finally got some sleep last night as the past few nights I had been staying up late and going to bed late but last I was in bed by 9:00 and finally got over 8 hours sleep! Suerte! :-)

My Winter Rose 06

I just love this plant! I'm not sure who gave it to me or how long I've had it but it's such a beauty to have and see her beautiful blooms. It's been a busy month so far and only promises to get busier with the holidays approaching. I'm making preparations for my parent's 50th Wedding Anniversary next month and thus will be pretty scarce around here in the coming weeks ahead, but one does have to take time to smell the roses...especially the winter rose! AND, music by Ottmar Liebert-of which Winter Rose is in high rotation on iTunes. Give it a listen and treat yourself!

Stop this Train

No I'm not color blind

I know the world is black and white

I try to keep an open mind

I just can't sleep on this tonight

Stop this train

I want to get off

and go home again

I can't take the speed it's moving in

I know I can't

But honestly will someone stop this train

Don't know how else to say it,

don't want to see my parents go

One generation's length away

From fighting life out on my own

Come on stop this train

So scared of getting older

I'm only good at being young

So I play the numbers game

to find away to say that life has just begun

Had a talk with my old man

Said "help me understand"

He said "turn 68

you'll renegotiate"

"Don't stop this train

Dont' for a minute change the place you're in

and don't think I couldn't ever understand

I tried my hand

John, honestly we'll never stop this train"

Once in a while, when it's good

It'll feel like it should

And they're all still around

And you're still safe and sound

And you don't miss a thing

Till you cry when you're driving away in the dark.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lyrics by John Mayer and appropriate for me given that today is December 1st. With only one month left till the end of this year, feeling like John and wanting to get off the train. And as my parents 50th Wedding approches next year...and as they age in years...I don't want to see them go. Yes, I can fight life on my own even but there's a difference in living and living well. As 2006 comes to an end, here's to a safe and sound 2007 and another year of living well.

Gravity

Word of the Day: Gravity
Music: Gravity, John Mayer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gravity, is working against me
And Gravity, wants to bring me down
Oh, I've never known what makes this man
With all the love that this heart can stand
Dream of ways to throw it all away
Whoa, Gravity is working against me
And Gravity, it wants to bring me down
Oh, twice as much aint twice as good
And can't sustain like one half could
It's wanting more that's gonna set me to my knees
Now how can that be...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, I feel like gravity is working against me

in more ways than one...especially on my physical body! :-(

Too much drooping and sagging!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Side note: John Mayer's music has been in high rotation these days! Digging the music and lyrics. Lyrics remind me of Mary Chapin-Carpenter.

Blonde Bond....

is the bomb!

Happy Thanksgiving

Pecan pie,
mj*laflaca.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PS - from a very nice email I just opened...not mine but MJ's:

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today, I am thankful for the gift of life,

family, friends, and loved near ones are far.

Cumpleanos

Wishing a very
Happy Birthday
to my dear dad
who today is a
very young 75!
Dad, I love you!
Baking a cake to go
with that ice cream for you!

Rays...

of light...birthday light & love for my nephew Greg who today turned 20! Where has time gone? I remember all too well when he was born. The first born grandchild into the family and we were all crying tears of joy. His tiny little hands and feet seemed so fragile back then. It was a celebratory mood indeed! I had gone out the night before his birth to celebrate with a friend who been accepted into medical school. After two bottles of champayne we finally got home after 2:30 a.m. and climbed up the stairs all too happy to be able to sleep in and sleep off the alcohol. Just as I was getting ready to turn off the light and crawl under the covers the phone rings and it was my brother. He and his wife were at the hospital--a week early! It feels just like yesterday.

Sundrenched

~~~~~~~~~~~

...another weekend is here! Thank goodness! We finally go some rain this evening which brought cooler temps and just in time as today's high reached near 87! :-(

WHY?

WHY, WHY, WHY....

...can't it be Friday?!
...do pens not write when they still have ink?! Anyone know how to get a pen to start writing again?!
...are Christmas decorations already up?! Halloween was just yesterday!
...do store receipts have to be 12 inches long? Don't they know we need to conserve our resources?
...do the four seasons have to arrive in the same week here in Houston?! Temps have been between 86, 76, 66 and tomorrow night down to 40 but back up to 80 on Sunday! UGH! :-(
...do we change time? I think it's backwards...seems to me it should get darker in the summertime--less burning sun and in winter seems more appropriate to have the sun out longer to warm the days. DUH!