Julie Kemp Pick
The days are getting shorter,
The house has lost its zest.
Everything is now in order,
Though I'd rather have the mess.
No more waiting up all night,
Grateful for what the cat dragged in.
Check-out time is after midnight,
Wondering if I'll ever see my car again.
Lakeside walks, playful lollygagging,
The smell of delicious barbecue fills the air.
Wishing I hadn't wasted precious time nagging,
Hence everyone's memories would be held so dear.
Summer ales; ailing hearts plead for its return,
The boys are quickly growing into men.
The sun is fading, yet it stings the burn,
My husband is stuck alone with me again.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
The New BFF's (Blogging Friends & Followers)
Julie Kemp Pick
Recently I read an article about an agoraphobic writer who went on a journey to meet her Facebook friends. She made a New Year's resolution to spend a year traveling across three continents to connect with each of her 325 friends.
This made me think about how far I would go for a Facebook or blogging friend. Facebook helped me reconnect with people that I haven't seen or spoken to in years. Some friendships became more intensified, while others quickly fizzled. In many ways, Facebook is like a more polite version of high school.
The blogging community is an even more welcoming one. The cool kids mix with the older adults, and material possessions take on a different meaning. Though hunters and gatherers are found in both worlds, the camaraderie amongst bloggers surpasses any other social network.
I am grateful to the generous group of bloggers who frequently tune in, and support my efforts. Without them I would be transported to playing with my imaginary friends indoors, while listening to the laughter of other children outside my bedroom window.
This brings me to a wonderful award that Rosalind Adam and Tonja have graciously bestowed upon me.
Rosalind is fiercely loyal, and has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Tonja is juggling so many different things on her plate, and always has room for more. Both women soldier on with wit and grace. Tonja mentioned that Liebster means "dearest," while Rosalind expressed the origin of friendship. I am putting both of them together by passing this award on to my dearest friends in blogland.
These bloggers fall within the rules of the Liebster Blog as it is only given to those with less than 200 followers. I encourage you to visit all of these blogs that are guaranteed to make you laugh, cry or say, "Why didn't I think of that?"
Elaine at My Next 20 Years of Living
lou at writeclub
Rhonda at Laugh Quotes
Susan at I Think; Therefore I Yam
Last but not least, I want to thank RJR Daydreamer for passing this meaningful award on to me:
RJR is a very versatile writer who blogs about everything from the Royal Wedding to his adventures in carpentry. I'm thrilled that he created this special award and would like to share it with my faithful followers. Feel free to pick up this award with one condition; wear it like an undergarment knowing that without proper support, everything will come crashing down.
in
III met
Recently I read an article about an agoraphobic writer who went on a journey to meet her Facebook friends. She made a New Year's resolution to spend a year traveling across three continents to connect with each of her 325 friends.
This made me think about how far I would go for a Facebook or blogging friend. Facebook helped me reconnect with people that I haven't seen or spoken to in years. Some friendships became more intensified, while others quickly fizzled. In many ways, Facebook is like a more polite version of high school.
The blogging community is an even more welcoming one. The cool kids mix with the older adults, and material possessions take on a different meaning. Though hunters and gatherers are found in both worlds, the camaraderie amongst bloggers surpasses any other social network.
I am grateful to the generous group of bloggers who frequently tune in, and support my efforts. Without them I would be transported to playing with my imaginary friends indoors, while listening to the laughter of other children outside my bedroom window.
This brings me to a wonderful award that Rosalind Adam and Tonja have graciously bestowed upon me.
Rosalind is fiercely loyal, and has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Tonja is juggling so many different things on her plate, and always has room for more. Both women soldier on with wit and grace. Tonja mentioned that Liebster means "dearest," while Rosalind expressed the origin of friendship. I am putting both of them together by passing this award on to my dearest friends in blogland.
These bloggers fall within the rules of the Liebster Blog as it is only given to those with less than 200 followers. I encourage you to visit all of these blogs that are guaranteed to make you laugh, cry or say, "Why didn't I think of that?"
Elaine at My Next 20 Years of Living
lou at writeclub
Rhonda at Laugh Quotes
Susan at I Think; Therefore I Yam
Last but not least, I want to thank RJR Daydreamer for passing this meaningful award on to me:
RJR is a very versatile writer who blogs about everything from the Royal Wedding to his adventures in carpentry. I'm thrilled that he created this special award and would like to share it with my faithful followers. Feel free to pick up this award with one condition; wear it like an undergarment knowing that without proper support, everything will come crashing down.
in
III met
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Melodrama At The Mall
Julie Kemp Pick
"You can do it Mom, we're almost there," I tried to say calmly as we were in the middle of a crossfire between flying balls and leaping athletic shoes. She stopped several times, securely braking her walker to replenish her supply of snacks and liquids; fearless in the heat of danger. Finally she entered the car safely, unmarked yet compelled to reapply her lipstick. A task that was more important than making sure her seat belt was on and both legs were traveling inside the vehicle. Our mission was to hunt down great deals for our boys before they headed back to school, and to find a present or two for my brother's upcoming birthday.
This was a special event as both our boys and their fun-loving uncle were with us. My brother and my older son hate to shop, and until recently so did my younger son. We didn't arrive at the outlet mall until after 5:00, so we had no time to waste. My brother is a fast shopper who quickly surveys one store and moves on to the next. Then he and my older son would throw the softball around outside, while they were waiting for us.
My mom and younger son like to take their time rummaging through every rack and shelf. Suddenly, he began to speed things up by ripping off his shirt in the middle of the aisle each time he tried something on. Then my job was to find his shirt which was usually lying on the middle of the floor.
At one point, we couldn't agree on which stores to go to, so we all split up. Later I went to check on my mother who was in a boutique store a few doors down from us. I panicked when I couldn't find her, but then I saw her red head pop up. She was perfectly happy in this little store, while I was running back and forth checking on everyone. Yes my boys are 20-something, but on this rare occasion they actually wanted my opinion.
After we closed down the joint, we went for a big dinner at one of the few restaurants that was open after 9:00 PM. We were all exhausted from our shopping trip where every boy walked away with a present. As I gazed around the dinner table, I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. I'm so thankful that they willingly participate in our silly family outings, and realize that these moments are really what matter in life.
They enjoy spending time talking about my mother's beauty shop schedule, almost as much as playing sports with my brother. I will miss them terribly when they go back to college and law school in a few days. After all the years of attending their football, baseball, basketball, and wrestling events, it really meant a lot to me that they participated in my favorite sport.
"You can do it Mom, we're almost there," I tried to say calmly as we were in the middle of a crossfire between flying balls and leaping athletic shoes. She stopped several times, securely braking her walker to replenish her supply of snacks and liquids; fearless in the heat of danger. Finally she entered the car safely, unmarked yet compelled to reapply her lipstick. A task that was more important than making sure her seat belt was on and both legs were traveling inside the vehicle. Our mission was to hunt down great deals for our boys before they headed back to school, and to find a present or two for my brother's upcoming birthday.
This was a special event as both our boys and their fun-loving uncle were with us. My brother and my older son hate to shop, and until recently so did my younger son. We didn't arrive at the outlet mall until after 5:00, so we had no time to waste. My brother is a fast shopper who quickly surveys one store and moves on to the next. Then he and my older son would throw the softball around outside, while they were waiting for us.
My mom and younger son like to take their time rummaging through every rack and shelf. Suddenly, he began to speed things up by ripping off his shirt in the middle of the aisle each time he tried something on. Then my job was to find his shirt which was usually lying on the middle of the floor.
At one point, we couldn't agree on which stores to go to, so we all split up. Later I went to check on my mother who was in a boutique store a few doors down from us. I panicked when I couldn't find her, but then I saw her red head pop up. She was perfectly happy in this little store, while I was running back and forth checking on everyone. Yes my boys are 20-something, but on this rare occasion they actually wanted my opinion.
After we closed down the joint, we went for a big dinner at one of the few restaurants that was open after 9:00 PM. We were all exhausted from our shopping trip where every boy walked away with a present. As I gazed around the dinner table, I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. I'm so thankful that they willingly participate in our silly family outings, and realize that these moments are really what matter in life.
They enjoy spending time talking about my mother's beauty shop schedule, almost as much as playing sports with my brother. I will miss them terribly when they go back to college and law school in a few days. After all the years of attending their football, baseball, basketball, and wrestling events, it really meant a lot to me that they participated in my favorite sport.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Punctually Late
Julie Kemp Pick
Every morning as the school bus would pull up,
The little girl would be seen running down the street.
As she screamed "wait for me," before the doors closed shut,
Barely catching her breath, surrendering to defeat.
The teenager lived a few blocks from the high school,
But that first morning class was always a chore,
She vowed to wake up earlier to abide by the rules,
After her alarm went off, she reset it for a few winks more.
Her English teacher sent her off to detention,
After she repeatedly came to class tardy.
The lesson of punctuality lost its retention.
She tried, but still showed up late for the party.
She served time for her crime at the Behavioral Adjustment Center,
Where she sat with a cluster of greasers, and druggies, in a daze.
While she worked on her paper about shutting down the BAC,
For which her teacher who sent her rewarded her with an "A."
Years later, her husband thought he would break her,
When they were invited to an early morning affair.
He set all the clocks back an hour, before he would wake her,
In the hope they would arrive at the designated time there.
She grew suspicious and found the forgotten thermostat clock.
He confessed that his trick was to help her become punctual,
She smiled to herself as she paused to take stock,
Oh how he would've enjoyed the meal, had his jaw been functional.
P.S. In keeping with the theme, I want to extend a very belated thank you to Rosalind Adam for passing this adorable award on to me. Rosalind is a gifted writer who is always entertaining, extremely generous, and hopefully very forgiving.
One of the rules for this award is to list a recent book that I would recommend. I'm really enjoying Talli Roland's The Hating Game which is a fun, fast paced read filled with surprises.
I would like to share this award with these delightful bloggers who are witty, talented and supportive. If I've forgotten anyone, let me know and I'll be happy to add you to the list. Please forgive me for changing the rules, and encouraging everyone to do whatever works for them. Be sure to check out all of these wonderful blogs listed in no particular order:
Julie @ What Else Is Possible
Rhonda @ Laugh-quotes
Delores @ The Feathered Nest
Susan @ I Think; Therefore I Yam
Elaine @ My Next 20 Years of Living
Every morning as the school bus would pull up,
The little girl would be seen running down the street.
As she screamed "wait for me," before the doors closed shut,
Barely catching her breath, surrendering to defeat.
The teenager lived a few blocks from the high school,
But that first morning class was always a chore,
She vowed to wake up earlier to abide by the rules,
After her alarm went off, she reset it for a few winks more.
Her English teacher sent her off to detention,
After she repeatedly came to class tardy.
The lesson of punctuality lost its retention.
She tried, but still showed up late for the party.
She served time for her crime at the Behavioral Adjustment Center,
Where she sat with a cluster of greasers, and druggies, in a daze.
While she worked on her paper about shutting down the BAC,
For which her teacher who sent her rewarded her with an "A."
Years later, her husband thought he would break her,
When they were invited to an early morning affair.
He set all the clocks back an hour, before he would wake her,
In the hope they would arrive at the designated time there.
She grew suspicious and found the forgotten thermostat clock.
He confessed that his trick was to help her become punctual,
She smiled to herself as she paused to take stock,
Oh how he would've enjoyed the meal, had his jaw been functional.
P.S. In keeping with the theme, I want to extend a very belated thank you to Rosalind Adam for passing this adorable award on to me. Rosalind is a gifted writer who is always entertaining, extremely generous, and hopefully very forgiving.
One of the rules for this award is to list a recent book that I would recommend. I'm really enjoying Talli Roland's The Hating Game which is a fun, fast paced read filled with surprises.
I would like to share this award with these delightful bloggers who are witty, talented and supportive. If I've forgotten anyone, let me know and I'll be happy to add you to the list. Please forgive me for changing the rules, and encouraging everyone to do whatever works for them. Be sure to check out all of these wonderful blogs listed in no particular order:
Julie @ What Else Is Possible
Rhonda @ Laugh-quotes
Delores @ The Feathered Nest
Susan @ I Think; Therefore I Yam
Elaine @ My Next 20 Years of Living
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)