Abba's Girl

My cousin Wayne and I have had a joke about Spree candy for fifty years. The 1st time we ate Spree we were sitting on his back porch, splitting a roll while his younger brother napped. Wayne popped a red one in his mouth and said this tastes like a rose smells. Red Spree still has a special place in my heart. For my birthday, Wayne donated to my online fundraiser benefiting the Lone Survivor Foundation. So, I was surprised to learn a package from him was on the way, it arrived last night. 5 LBS of Spree, yes you read that correctly, 5 pounds of Spree. My husband and I broke into it before dinner. (We probably need to schedule dental appointments and check into Spree-hab.)  Wayne and I differ wildly in our political views but we love one another. We always respect one another and do not speak rudely or harshly to one another which does not seem to be the norm in today's culture.  No one is perfect, we all fall short, but it hurts my heart to see Christians rudely and crue...

Last Friday and Saturday were spent with classmates many of whom are my friends today, we graduated high school 40 years ago. Let me repeat that 40 YEARS  ago. A whole lot of life has happened since I left my graduation ceremony at the ripe old age of 17, counting the weeks until I turned 18 and would be able to legally drink alcohol. I certainly knew everything!  Did we party like it was 1979? No, but we enjoyed catching up and laughing over a casual dinner at our Alma Mater. The next day we mustered enough energy to tour Space Center Houston and enjoyed their Lunch with an Astronaut. Clay Anderson spoke, took questions from diners, the children's questions were tough! He then took pictures with individuals and posed for a group shot with our class. Fun weekend.  If memory serves me well, I knew everything for 3 or 4 years after graduation. Now in the twilight of my 50's, I realize how little I know which is freeing to say the least. I don't have to have all the answ...

75 years ago yesterday, thousands of men from Allied countries landed on the beaches of France.  I think of all the WWII veterans in my family as well as my friend's families I knew in the course of my life. Only 1 of these men is still alive, he is in his late 90's. They never talked about WWII, maybe a comment here or there, but were mostly silent about it. I remember being fascinated by pictures of these men with their buddies in Europe or the Pacific. One of my great-uncles made 2 comments about the war, one was he would not eat black-eyed peas or rice because he had his fill in the service and the other was landing crafts were terrible. Fast forward to 2019, I think of the points that society complains about today. Is that because of Social Media, a shift in culture, or a combination of the 2? Diatribes on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. My way or the highway. Calling people vile names. Astoundingly, it is the norm.  I am not suggesting we swallow our feelings or...