Home from Vacation and Death

So the family spent 5 days in Mrytle Beach, SC this past week and that was great. Loved watching the kiddos play in the water and make sandcastles. Owen really had a good time boogie boarding and so did Elizabeth. Bella had a lot of fun running into the shallowest part of the water and then running to hide behind my legs and hold on when bigger waves rolled ashore.

Being back on the coast in the water was such a recharge- much needed-and just really solidified to me and Mark that being land locked 3 hours in land is not for us. Time to work the plan to get to that "somewhere". I know what it should look like- the picture and area is in my head- can't wait to get there and the relief that comes from being balanced in all things. I hate when something is out of balance.

Now on to eulogizing my kitty Avalanche, that was found dead the day we returned home from a most relaxing beach trip...

He was laying on the floor in the upstairs hall outside the kids bathroom, as though he were laying in a shaft of sunlight. Owen found him. I worry about that discovery, he is about to turn 7 and we already had to give up our 200 pound mastiff a month prior due to a couple of biting incidents. He was really upset about leaving Murphy at the breeder's farm and the old adage of "a boy and his dog" just sticks with me.

Anyhow, Owen notices Avey, our nickname for this rotund ball of brown and black tabby feline-ness, and says that he isn't responding to pets and his eyes are open. Mark was next on the scene- which stinks because Avalanche was 'Mark's cat' he was there when Avalanche was born. Then I find out. We got some rubber gloves, a box and old towels and made a coffin for Avalanche. He looked peaceful. We buried him in the backyard in the center where the sun hits the yard full force-there use to be a rose garden there but we moved that to have a nice open green area. I think he will like his final resting space. He did love a sunny patches on the floor in the house.

Most pets have something endearing about them- they are lovers, maniacs, jumpers, Avalanche had a Napoleon complex of the worst kind. He hated not being the center of attention- he would forcefully push our other cat, Geronimo, out of the way if he was getting attention . He was an absolute pig when it came to eatting and he got fatter as he got older. He had this meow that was like a whine mixed with a nag-and he used it to get attention. He hated Murphy while we had him- he enjoyed tormenting him. Avalanche never got over the betrayal of the family acquiring a dog- that dwarfed him 100 times over. I don't really know if he ever forgave Mark and me for having brought 3 kids into his house- but at least he never lashed out at the children. Murphy only ever wanted an animal friend and Avalanche knew that. He would sit at the top of the 2nd floor stairs and cry down to Murphy. Murphy would just stand on the bottom couple of stairs waiting to play. That of course would never happen.

Avalanche- you will be missed. You loved to take up half of my bed, with both me and Mark in it, as though you were entitled to it, as though your 14 furry pounds required it. You had an endearing cowardice that made you ever more lovable. I am sorry you never made it longer than 15 years-I am sorry we will have to leave you buried in the backyard of the SC house. But you are in kitty heaven now- gorging on catnip, tuna and sunshine. Geronimo is the lone survivior of the orignal pets now and he will quitely carry on the duties of guard cat until his time comes too.

Avalanche your death marks the beginning of the end of the era of the first pets Mark and I had as a couple. You came into our lives in the summer of 1994. You were our baby before we had babies, before we got married, before we graduated college or bought our first house. Have fun in the sun you lunatic cat.

Oy Vay It's Been a Long Time

So I did not fall into an eternal abyss however I have been busy with 3 kids and a crazy mastiff who is really just an old hairy man with a tail.

Lots of pictures to upload- comments to make- ideas to throw out, you can catch them or let them drop.

I haven't forgotten you.

Things that bounce around in my Head

Okay, a bit of backround for this next post to fully apprieciate the humor-then again I just might be a little "off".

I like to say that I spent my "formative years" in the greatest city on earth- New York- I lived there from 1980-1983 on Governor's Island which was in the the harbour of the tip of Manhattan and in between, Brooklyn and its bridge, Staten Island and the Statue of Libery. It was a Coast Guard base and that is where my family was stationed for 3 years. I loved the city, it is my home and one of only 3 places in the states where I feel complete to my core in an environmental harmony sort of way.

That said my folks took advantage of the things that great place had to offer and my tender years were not held against me. From the time I was 4 and a half to when we left at 7 and a half I was taken to shows on and off Broadway, Radio City Music Hall's annual Easter and Christmas show (back when they were called that), stuff at the MSG (Madison Square Garden), Museums, walks around the city and back then NYC was not the lovely place to visit and no one in their right mind walk around TImes Square. I love that city! My mom saw Andrew Llyod Webber's "Evita" with Patti LuPone (?) while we lived there and my mother loves ALW stuff so I grew up with original cast soundtracks of Cats, Evita, Jesus Christ SuperStar, and later Phantom of the Opera in the house. So now the stage is set for the rest of this post.

While watching John McCain yesterday at CPAC I could not help but hear in my head "Don't Cry for me, Argentina" while he was making his trite attempt at addressing his not so conservative but I am a conservative and here's why speech. I admit the song in my head drown out most of what he said and after a while it got to be too much and I turned off the TV.
Want to know what the song sounded like- I am not Webber and this was developed as the notes played in my head so I am not expecting a Grammy or anything- but it made me giggle.
Here is John McCain's tribute to Don't Cry for Me Argentina.

"Don't Cry for me, My Fellow Conservatives,
The truth is I had to leave you, Althrough my Senate days, I wanted attention of the Democrats, Please forgive me, my Indescression.....(I could go on but I just end with the last lines of the song as I did not spend that much time on it as I am a mom with 3 little children and a 200 lb dog)...Yes, I am a Maverick, I have nothing more to say to you, all you have to do is look at my record to know EVERY WORD IS TRUE! ...gigantic Music cressendo.

This is what my husband puts up with. Now you need to go sample the Evita soundtrack to get the feel for the song if you are not familiar.

Now on to Mitt Romney. I liked him since last summer when he was here in South Carolina-felt that he was genuine and had good ideas for the future of the nation and was happy with shared values. (Yes, I am Mormon-yes the family got a picture with Mitt and eventually I will post the picture) He exitted with grace and a general concern for the direction of this Republican party and nation (insert your comments here about the bigot southern baptist so full of drivel here). That type of character cannot be learned, acted or bought. It is cultivated over the course of one's life- your upbringing. I hope that Gov. Romney stays in the conservative scene and gives it another attempt. His two big speeches- the one's delivered yesturday and the Faith in America speech reminded me of the great one, Ronald Reagan. Those convictions were not just fluff tailored to an audience. It was crafted by a person who believed what he was writting. That is something yet to be seen by McCain or Huckabee.
PS- If there are spelling errors- sorry just had to write this quick entry and still new at this and all the buttons.

What is a Girl to do?

I grew up in a very politically minded house. We are conservatives. Most Monday nights my father would read from the John Birch History series. My mother grew up in Silver Spring, MD- a hop, skip and jump from the nation’s Capital. My father was in the military and worked in DC. My grandfathers were both in WWII, members of the valorous “Greatest Generation”. These men, my grandfathers, never really spoke much about their involvement in the war. I knew my dad’s father was in the Army and a code breaker, my mother’s father spoke several languages and worked in the same capacity for the Navy and also was a pilot. After the war my maternal grandfather explained to me how he was discharged from the Navy- “a commanding officer of mine came in and told me the war is over and we don’t need your services any longer –Your country is grateful for your service”. I remember my grandfather’s matter of fact comments and that he got on with the rest of his life-marriage, children, finishing a college education and finishing service to his country within an office of the Department of Defense. He is now long retired and a great grand father.

I bring this up as an illustration of just one of the qualities so lacking in the current man seeking our country’s highest office. The Greatest Generation did not talk of their service to our country with braggadocio. They were reserved about their service. The only time my grandfathers spoke to me of their service was when I initiated the conversation and then it was matter of fact when sufficient to me then we moved on to another subject.

These men, my grandfathers, and the millions of others like them that had the opportunity to come home and start their families created the “American Dream” as we currently understand it to be. This American Dream was a tribute- a necessary honor- to their comrades at arms that gave their lives on foreign soil- these men speak quietly, if at all, of their role in decisively defeating Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and Japan. What has John McCain ever lead a decisive victory over? John McCain loves to tout his “I was a foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution” anytime he has the opportunity to as if it were some magic pill cure all.

Mr. McCain let your record speak for itself. Most recently amnesty for illegals, environmental regulations, private sector impediments, assault on the Constitution with campaign reform, and the list goes on. You sound more like a liberal democrat the likes of Ted Kennedy and Joe Biden not Ronald Reagan. President Reagan was capable of having democrats come to realize that the conservative principles that he held so dear was the right direction to go. He did not change his principles to get a vague sketch of the original desired outcome in the hopes of looking “bi-partisan”. My opinion however, Senator McCain, is that you somehow wet your finger and see which way the wind is blowing as it is favorable to your aims-not Americas. We Americans are to blame for being complicit in our silence and letting the Congress and Senate get away with things that go counter to the Constitution and a capitalist economy.


John McCain is in an interesting place. He was born after the Great Depression but before WWII started and was close to his teens when the Baby Boom started (thus creating the most conceited and devoid generation this nation has ever had- “the Boomers”- but that is a post for another day). Due to this time period he could have imprinted more on the older generations’ social mores or latch onto the more jubilant baby boom optimism that was bought and paid for on the blood of great Americans willing to sacrifice for the future generations. John McCain should have personality qualities that are rooted in hard work, self reliance, good old fashion “American know-how and grit”, leaving aside foolish notions for common sense, duty and responsibility-not just in the get married, have some children, a good job- but a civic responsibility to the American nation and its values, fly the flag, say your prayers and honor your country.

Senator McCain acts more like a boomer. Self centered, conceited, malicious to those that don’t share his beliefs. I am grateful to him for his service to our country and I cannot imagine being a POW but it was something that occurred- MOVE ON. It is an argument of convenience and a deflection tool that he uses when he is pressed to long on a subject that he feels he is above answering or a response when he does not have an answer. Is this the leader that American conservatives want? The Greatest Generation bears the scars of combat-watching their comrades shot, killed, disfigured and these great Americans soldier forth quietly with the burdens that come from fighting for all that they hold dear to them. Mr. McCain however has sought to profit from his POW-ness as though it is a catch all excuse for his long developed short falls and personal as well as professional short comings. A well documented temper and flippant combative nature is nothing to be proud of, selling out your beliefs for personal gain is not honor, abandoning a wife that waited for you to return home to marry a woman from money is poor social climbing.

Mr. McCain my grandfathers survived and I am here on this earth now as a testament to the greatness of that generation. I hold their values above yours. You left the conservative movement that was fostered by Ronald Reagan for air time on the Sunday shows. You went to the democrats to work with them and your values changed not you changed the democrats. You undermined your President for your professional gain. Now you are the front runner in the Republican nomination for President and I am to believe that you will not say what you have to for the purpose of getting elected? I have no confidence that you will, based on your record, nominate conservatives to the bench, keep our borders secure, maintain the Constitution as it is written, stand for-live and breathe conservative beliefs, lower taxes or that you know anything on keeping America’s economy thriving-I won’t even bring up my own personal retirement plan. Your true self is exposed every time you open your mouth. You are pompous and full of double talk rhetoric- do you even believe in American Exceptionalism? I am conservative and have no candidate to vote for. What is an American girl to do?

Romney has suspended his bid for the Presidency next topic…

I Am Here

In the beginning it was black...

That is how this blog is going to start and eventually it will be splashed with thoughts that are jumbled in my head and pictures of those that are near and dear to me. Having an artistic bend I am still working on format and content and I expect that what ever the mood is that I will explore it, chew it over and type it out in electronic format for my more narcasistic tendancies.
Enjoy skimming through Navigating Capricorn.