Whatever Wednesday - Let's Go Fly a Kite

Butterfly hair band, yellow dress, pink shoes, and a kite string in hand - Dakota is ready to soar

 Set sail in the sky, a new kite swirls

ribbons trail, wordless signals of joy

crane our necks to watch to the show

memories of past kites - wispy wishes in the wind

Monday Moments - Random spring and Easter pics

Levi (5 months) was wide awake early. By the time the Easter egg hunt began, he was snoring. 

Silly basket head girls

Kevin's crew

Silly Ray - a wascally wabbit. 
 

Finally Friday - new home, new season, new friends

Chris and Krystal just signed on to their first new home - very exciting for them.  The place is lovely and they have years to enjoy, decorate, and create memories. 

Opening Day tailgate - Ray style.  We actually bought sandwiches from Jersey Mike's and enjoyed our lunch in this parking  lot.  Arrived at the ballpark at 2 pm, didn't leave until victory in the 10th inning at 10 pm.  Whew!  Long  day

NO we did not eat this Triple Play Boomstick - that's a lot of calories right there and it's expensive too.

Extra fun being the World Series Champions 2023

And these mermaids are out of the water and eating at Ole Enchiladas.  Yes, this is my water aerobics crew - Debbie, Elayne, and Claudia.  I'm on the front right.  Fun times and we could talk without treading water. 

Happy Weekend everyone!
 

Whatever Wednesday - Eclipse

Solar Eclipse 2024 in San Saba Texas.   Ray and I went to visit Aunt Pat on Saturday. Did chores and prepped.  Kevin, Maria, and the girls arrived Sunday afternoon.  Fish fry (yummy).  Excitement build-up.  And weather worries.   Monday - 12:15 pm  we all had our glasses, chairs, and chatter

Got cooler.   Clouds flitted by, but weren't completely blocking the moving eclipse.  Wind kicked up. 

Birds quieted

Darker sky 

Eerie.  Pat's solar night lights even turned on.  The kids hushed.  We all stared in awe (with our solar glasses on)

Maria captured this moment.    Magic.  Awestruck.  Astounding. 

Wow!

And then the light switch slowly turned on, clouds cleared, kids started playing again, adults just kept saying "Holy cow, that was so cool."

Aunt Pat gave us notice last year for this "party", and she threw a doozie. 

Won't be around in three hundred years for the next total eclipse.  Very glad to be here for this one. 

Science rules!  
 

Monday Moments - Solar Eclipse

2017 - Enjoyed the Solar Eclipse with my PA crew at Spring Lake NJ

We had so much fun

 Oh yeah!

Now today April 8th 2024,  Ray and I will be in San Saba TX.  If the weather cooperates, it should be a total eclipse viewing.  Fingers crossed.  I am writing this in March.  Sure hope it works. 

 And I am going  to write this - I hope the former President looks  directly at the sun like he did in  2017 and some how implodes.  That is an evil thing to write, but I do wish it upon this man who does not respect science.  Seriously, let's look at solar eclipses through  the years - do not stare at the freakin' sun, you fool. 

cheers all.  Enjoy.  Use your glasses and it should be way cool. 

 And Happy Birthday to my brother David.  Today is his day too - 61.  Dang!   That's getting  old, dude.   Love ya!

Finally Friday - spring filler

A Ranger game in  2009

huge flag is always awesome

Striking tree shot

Afire pit night in San Saba

 Weird shadows

I'm busy and yet not

I have stuff in my brain and yet can't verbalize

Bear with me as I do a reset of some sort. 

I read and yet don't comprehend.  I see and  yet I don't .   What  is going on?  I'm tired and  nap  and yet I'm awake.  Sorta going through the motions of life, but in slow mo....

Possibly depressed.  Well yeah- my childhood phone number is gone!!!

We're clearing out the family house.   So many memories

Sigh

Bear with me and have a good weekend.  I will but will I know it........???

Wonderful Wednesday Book Review - A Place For Us

 A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza is a wonderful writing treat.  We open with an Indian wedding in California and family gathers. Proud parents, Rafiq and Layla. Hadia, eldest daughter, is marrying out of love not tradition and she is training  to be a medical doctor. Huda, the middle daughter, is a determined independent minded teacher. Amar, brother of the bride, has returned after three years. 

cover blurb What secrets and betrayals have caused this close-knit family to fracture? Can Amar find his way back to the people who love and know him best?

The author quietly winds her way through past and present, treads between two cultures, and gives an excellent portrait of identity and belonging.  cover blurb - It's a resonant portrait of what it means to be an  American family today.

I really enjoyed this book and immersed myself in the family. The author's descriptions, conversations, and thoughts were deep and moving. When I finished,  I had to sit and compose myself and contemplate the full book experience.  That's a gem!