Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

That smile you see is a smile of happiness. He's going to his first dance and Mom let him get his 80's tie. I watched the kids file out of the gym after the dance, and they were all wearing similar things.
Cyndi Lauper's 80's style has come back, but I'm not real sure why. That's what I saw all the young ladies wearing.






Here he is in his true element: playing the guitar. And not to brag, he's really good! He does practice allot and on this particular day was quite the front man. Interestingly enough, it wasn't his band. But he had a blast.

Rude People

My mother told me that my first words were not, "Mama" and "Daddy". They were "Yes, Ma'am". My mother did her best to teach us that it takes just as much time to be polite as to be rude. When I lived in Florida, everyone used the terms, "Yes, Sir,", "No, Sir" and it seemed like a great lesson in respect. During these times, even though most people don't make their kids, I make mine still say it. The Legal Adult can tell you even though his appearance is tatted and pierced, when he speaks, he still uses these forms of respect. Hollywood has to be reminded from time to time. If I've angered him, he's even tried to call me, "Beth" before, which I think is pretty funny. (Seriously, is that the best he can do?)

Today, I was reminded of why it's important to teach your children respect. I apparently got in the wrong lane to pick up the Pickle at his elementary school. A very angry mother got out of her SUV and walked across the street to where I was. She tapped on my window. I thought, "Is my radiator leaking?"

"If you're going to pick up your child, you're going to have to get in this line here because nobody is going to let you in. We have been waiting 20 minutes." For once, I think I was God-smacked. The human being inside of me wanted to say something just as rude back. But I didn't. I just put my window up. While I wasn't right in being in the "cheaters lane", it just seemed to me that she was going to make someone pay for her very bad day. In case you're still reading, I did move out of the way. Today was one of those times that I like my dog so much better than people.

Making Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Here we are so far. Now, imagine this double. That's how big the center is going to be. I'm thinking of adding a wide border, like maybe 7 inches, and machine applique The Beatles characters on it. In between the diamonds, you have to imagine fusible bias binding. That will give it a stained glass effect and reinforce the blocks.





The Legal Adult was gracious as he knows I'm only a month into this quilt. His birthday was yesterday...wow, 24! The cliche is, "But where did the time go?" and it's very trite. Some years went by fast, like when he was learning to walk and talk. Some years dragged on, as in adolescence. But after he turned 22, we really started to talk. I found that I not only LOVE this young man, I can say I LIKE him as well. He's always been a handful, but he's my handful. Here he is at 7 months, and I'm a mere child of 22. I have truly enjoyed being his mother as it has never been boring. Jesse(that's his real name)is a charmer and has been his whole life. Happy birthday, Son!

A Mother's Day Movie Review

I guess I'm mature enough to admit that I was around when the original Star Trek made it to television. I was three, and we watched it, although it was mostly over my head. I thought the transporter room was cool, and the whole idea of having a telecomunicator to talk to anybody was really out there. We do have cell phones now, so we're at least heading in that direction.

Hunnybunny and I went with The Diva's parents, our favorite movie-going buddies. With our babysitter out of town, we resorted to asking the Legal Adult and his Sweet thing (Thing 2) to babysit the Pickle and Diva. Hollywood wouldn't need babysitting, but leaving him to his own devices wouldn't have been wise. L.A. was going to show Hollywood how to cut grass, but that didn't happen. We left the makings for spaghetti and homemade cookies. The kitchen was a wreck when we got back. Happy Mother's day to me, right?

Hunnybunny was like a kid on a first date, calling me every 20 minutes to make sure I was going to be there on time (I picked up the Legal Adult and Thing 2) . When he called the last time, I answered with,
"The package has been acquired and is being delivered, Captain. We are in route to rendezvous
He didn't find it as amusing as I did.

Honestly, I didn't expect to enjoy this movie, thinking that they would trash the long-standing characters. But that's not what happened. The story was great and believable. And of course, the special effects were wonderful. We finally saw the backgrounds of the officers, and we do get to see glimpses of that. The joke that has made it around to all Star Trek fans was that if you were in a red shirt, you'd be the guy who was going to get pasted. J.J. Abrams didn't disappoint! And that's probably as much of a spoiler as I'm going to give. The bottom line is that if you get a chance to see it, go! Even if you aren't a long-time Star Trek fan, you will enjoy it.

Another Orphan Finds a Home

I'll admit it. I just can't stand to see an old machine thrown away. I've always looked at old sewing machines like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, "All it needs is a little love." And that is most likely my undoing. Several weeks ago, I found myself at the Legal Adult's apartment. One of the Sweet Thing's had moved out, (Should I call them "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" to keep them straight?) and I noticed a sewing cabinet.
"Did she leave her sewing machine behind?"
"No, my friend thought I could use it as a nightstand since I don't have one." he replied. Upon inspection, I found it did contain a sewing machine!

A Singer 6235, made in 1985-1986.
There's no real special thing about this model, but it did intrigue me. The Singer 6235 is half-iron, half-plastic, all metal components and idiot-proof threading, and self-contained bobbin winder in the actual bobbin case. The foot pedal is one of those pneumatic ones that pumps air into the chamber. I know, y'all are bored. Somethings are made better in the past than they are in the present. At least that's how I'm justifying the cost of fixing this one up.


The foot pedal has an air bulb in it. It triggers a sensor that also has a bulb in it. After I paid for the new pedal, the cleaning, timing, and maintenance work, and then found out it needed a new sensor, it cost me around $130.
The stitches are perfect, and since I've got to come up with a crazy quilt for a wedding present by August, I thought I could use it.

Single Parenting at an end

And I for one am very grateful it is. I had forgotten just how much harder it is with one parent.

My Hunnybunny went to NAB,(National Association of Broadcasters show) in Vegas this past week. For anybody NOT in the media world, and that's most of the nice people that read this blog, the NAB is essentially the world's largest electronic media show. And for my Hunnybunny being in the video biz, it's like the Superbowl for him. Every new gadget that has been invented to bring you entertainment, news, etc. is featured at this show. Hunnybunny spent the week on his feet, showing stuff to clients and also, getting shown stuff by vendors. It was not without it's perks as the vendors want him to push their products, so he ate rather well. Sleeping, not so well as the time difference did catch up to him. He stayed at the Flamingo, one of the older hotels. The weird contrast was that you could go to a 'burlesque show' and see Donny and Marie all in the same place! He said that no one looks happy there, and it was interesting watching the night life. Apparently, the "ladies of the night" came in the casinos after work and spent most of their earnings. They call that 'low tide'. And no,he didn't gamble. But his comrades did, and lost. The second picture he took to show that he had a television in his BATHROOM. His very pink bathroom at that.
This week reminded me of seven years ago when I was a single parent with a toddler and a pre-teen. While the age difference is a little better, I promise you the drama was the same. Single parents have my heart for theirs is the toughest job ever.

WIP Wednesday: 24.....it's not just a tv show

It's the number my oldest son will reach on his birthday coming up in May. With "Stars Fell on Alabama" finally out of the way, I have been cutting fabric as fast as I can. No, I don't have a title yet, but I'm thinking it must be a Beatles song since there is so much Beatles fabric. And you know I try to name my quilts after song titles.

So, suggestions would be appreciated for a name. The Legal Adult is big into John Lennon. It's cut into harlequin diamonds, so "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" is a possibility. I'm planning on doing the stained glass effect and quilt the top of it in between the diamonds with black bric-a-brac.

The Stars Fell on Alabama quilt...FINISHED!!!

It took me a year of ups and downs to finish this quilt for Grandma Hunnybunny, but it's finally done! I really got hung up on the binding, if you remember. And so many of you came to my rescue with great ideas.
Debra had the best idea: sew it on by machine. While I had considered that, I had never done anything like that. I went on Threadbanger.com to see how to do a blind hem. Jackie mentioned how the blue popped against the white,(everything did, I think!) so I took a crack at invisible thread. That stuff was fine as frog hair, as my mama used to say.

I received lots of written advise as well.
It was greatly appreciated. I think I will try another shot at sewing it on by hand, but with a much smaller project.




I'm not sure if it's supposed to look this way, but it looks as close as I can get it.




Hunnybunny did the honors of holding it up while I got a few shots. I love the colors in this and hope she will, too!






Having put it in FedEx this weekend, I spent yesterday and today cutting out the next quilt. This is for the Legal Adult's 24th birthday. I bought the Beatles fabric way back when, and never could really get into using a panel for a medallion type quilt. He waits until I've bought the fabric to inform me he wants a queen-size! Gee, thanks, Son....
To the left is the rough draft placement of fabric. The pattern I'm using calls for some 4-square type diamonds in between.

But the colors and prints are so bold and busy that I decided on a harlequin type look. In between the diamonds, I'm going to attach some black rick rack to give it a stained-glass effect.

Here's the great label that Debra made for me. (I'm not beyond stealing a picture off of her blog. I don't think she'll mind!;) She did a great job, and I believe in the sentiment: "Finished is better than Perfect." Thanks to everyone for all their input and help! I'm sure I'll be asking again as I've not tried a quilt on this scale before. Just one month until his birthday, so I'll do my best not to be a strict perfectionist. But I make no promises.

Doggie Update and Movie Review

Here's our doggie, Fiona, playing with the Pickle. She got pretty big since Valentine's Day, didn't she? She's already up to 32 pounds and is about to be 5 months old. The Pickle is having a time catching her, as you can see.




Fiona has this cool marking on her chest. It looks like an outline of an Aztec cartoon or something. In fact, there are two "eye" dots on her fur that I accused Hollywood of putting on with a Sharpie!






Yes, I know. She's gonna be big. But she had to grow into those huge paws.



We decided to rent Marley and Me,
mostly because it was about a crazy Labrador. Or so I thought. It is actually the progression of a family who grows up with the dog. Now, there are allot of funny scenes! The book by John Grogan tells the tale of how the "worst dog in the world" got inside the hearts of a family. John Grogan is a reporter turned columnist and Marley helps him along with content for the paper. Of course, the dog has to get old and die. And, as usual, I cried at the end. Why, I'm not really sure, but it might have to do with Fiona being so young, and we're starting the same journey with a crazy dog. See it with your kids, but keep the tissues handy.

Spring Break: By the numbers

I had this great idea for Spring Break this year. "Let's save money and go camping!" Don't ever let anyone tell you how "cheap" it would be to go camping. They are totally misinformed. We went to Cumberland Falls State Park. The concept was grand: we would camp, save money, and enjoy family time together. Uh, yeah...that's in that perfect world where I'm still not a resident. We got to the site, (that we reserved online months ago) and there was no grass. Pure rocks, pebbles, and mud. Sigh...then there was the setting up of the tent. It went fairly flawless. The Pickle went wild with all the trees and mud to get into. The skies were cloudy with the forecast, of course, for rain. Picture a listless teenager with no electronics, whining because he couldn't take his flatiron. Don't ask.
Here is a list of our expenses on this so-called, "cheap" trip:
1. Large tent, bought on sale at a sporting goods shop, $130.00.
2. Sleeping bag, bought for me after the first night of sharing with my Hunnybunny. Sharing being figurative. $15.00.
3. Camp grill with cylinders- $26.00.
4. Fleece liner for top of inflatable bed, $10.00. (Temps dropped into the 30's at night!)

5. Camping reservation for 5 days-$69.00
6. Camping cookware- $30.oo.
7. Groceries, tolietries, paper products, etc. -$100.00
8. Boarding for Fiona, (Probably the best money I spent!) $80.00.
9. House sitting-$50.00









10. Tickets to the Louisville Zoo after we came back early from camping-$45.00
11. Eating at the Zoo-$26.00(There's The Pickle tormenting a peacock!)
12. Doctor's visit for the Pickle after we found ticks on him and one broke off in his skin! --undetermined yet.
Total as best I can figure it: $581!

Agnostic Dating

It's been awhile since I complained, er...I mean, posted anything about The Legal Adult. For the most part, I've tried to leave him alone about his love life. There's always a girl he's obsessing over, or moving on from. (I know, you don't end a sentence with a preposition, but it's early.) Thus, the reason I refer to them all as "Sweet thing". Can't mess up the name that way. However, L.A. got creative and has had back-to-back girlfriends with the same FIRST names. This has created confusion on my part. I can't call them both Sweet thing. So, we refer to them by their last names, conveniently Smith and Jones for this post. Smith is the former and Jones is the current. And the former is his current roommate. (Which I never approved of, but he's a grown man.) Yeah, the plot definitely thickens.
I'm just going to say it, I really like the former one, despite all my efforts to stay unaffiliated. It probably doesn't hurt that she's a seamstress, (although I'm working on getting her into quilting!) is from our hometown in Tennessee, and has been dating him since high school. She's polite, smart, funny, and actually talks to me when she comes over. And yeah, she's beautiful, so if they got married, what beautiful grandchildren they'd make for me. I know we as mothers of sons shouldn't consider that attribute, but I'd love to meet a mother who doesn't! Anyway, this child has moved up here from our hometown and made a new life for herself. But now, it appears my son won't be a part of it. Of course, they'll stay friends....yeah....uh-huh.
Something happens, as something will, and they break up. Enter Jones. She's pretty, brainy, and totally goes along with anything he comes up with. I'm sure that's very attractive to L.A. as he loves to be the center of the world as most college-age guys do. I'm polite and try to engage Jones in conversation, but she is not talker that I am.
The Legal Adult wants me to dislike Smith, just because they broke up. Smith is actually house sitting for me in the near future while we are on vacation, an arrangement we made at Christmas time, when everyone was still in love and the world was a beautiful place.
I've been accused by my son of not supporting him because I don't feel the need to be ugly to her, (or anyone else for that matter). Explaining that finding someone to watch your house last minute is a bad idea did not bode well. So there you have it. The lesson here is: don't get too attached to any one girlfriend/boyfriend of your child. Be kind, but be agnostic. Until there's a ring and a date, just be agnostic about anyone they date.

In a bind over binding

I'm sure you all think I've fallen off the planet, but I'm still here. And I'm still working on that Stars Fell on Alabama quilt. It's the sewing of the binding that I'm having trouble with. In case you can't tell, I absolutely REEK at hand sewing. Apparently, there's a technique I'm not aware of.
I've searched the net for how-to's on the subject, even watched video tutorials. Either I'm so blind that I can't see the stitches they are presenting, or I'm terribly uncoordinated. My choice of binding fabric was hard to match because it's variegated. So, I went with the most prominent color: blue. I won't even start on how sore my index finger is from doing this.


You can see from this picture here that this is where I started. I'm definitely ripping this out.





So, I pose the question to you all: how do you do an invisible stitch? I'm thinking it's alot like the applique stitch, but I've only done machine applique.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

My life has gone to the Dog....

Take a good look at my latest time...monopolizer. Fiona has been fun to have around, but much like having a new baby in the house. There's the getting up at the crack of dawn to walk her, (done by me), feeding her, bathing her, (Hunnybunny does that mostly)and the cleaning of the carpets...constantly. Her first week with us, we found her with a U.T.I. I guess I'm an idiot because I wasn't aware a dog could suffer something like that. But she went to the vet, and she's on doggie amoxicillian.

Then there's the chewing, retrieving, eating paper, jumping up on furniture, terrorizing preschoolers and howling she does. The chewing I expected. Some jumping on furniture was expected, too, as she'd never been around any. But the howling...oh, how pitiful! Just like a kid, she knows how to get to you with the crying.
The picture isn't at all as bleak as I'm making it...she is a very loving dog. I'm sure that with time, and maybe obedience training, she is going to be fine. Look at that face...she certainly has endeared herself to us. And despite all of the aforementioned, we all love her to death.

So, maybe I'll be even slower to quilt. At least now I have a valid excuse...an excuse named "Fiona".

Surprise, Valentine!

I haven't figured out if I'm a softie, or just plain insane. You be my jury:
Hunnybunny and I had been watching the dog show on the USA network last week when I finally said the words,
"If you were going to have a dog, what breed would you pick?"
"Retriever, like a Labrador or a Golden Retriever. They're really good with kids."

I offhandedly told this to my buddy, Jane, (who has the most wonderful Golden Retriever). The woman has the most incredible memory of anyone I've ever met. She and her son were at the store when she heard that someone had a 10-week-old, black Labrador retriever pup that they wanted to give to a good home. And she, of course, thought of me.

My first thought: "Oh, no. Now I have to back this up. I told him we could get a dog."
So, Jane, and her family went with me to meet this family that had this puppy. It was a small, two room house, and the owners knew this arrangement wasn't going to work out logistically. The dog wouldn't have room, they didn't have a back yard, and a new baby was coming on the scene. With two cats already in the house, I was wondering what exactly they were thinking!
I watched the little 7 year old girl as she held on to that big puppy. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying. This was the last thing she wanted to do. Thankfully, Hollywood, The Pickle and The Diva had come along. So maybe seeing I had kids made it a little better for her. The family had named her "B.B.". That stood for "Butterball". And she definitely had roly-poly tummy.
"I will at least leave her middle name B.B. Is that okay?" And she shook her sad little head.
The ride from their house to mine was somewhat comical as this puppy had obviously never been in a moving car before. She managed to pry away from Hollywood and get herself in the back window.
Hunnybunny was coming in from Indy from his usual monthly business trip and Jane's family waited with us to surprise him. I wasn't sure he'd love her immediately. But he did, as you can see from these photos. That's what made it worthwhile....that sweet look on his face. Here was something, besides his family, that he's always dreamed of having.
Oh, you know what happens next, right? Carpet cleaner, walking her, and apparently I'm her new chew toy. She has been sleeping with Hollywood, and he just loves her to death.
And no, we didn't leave her first name as "B.B.". After exhausting the laundry list of acceptable names, Hunnybunny settled on yet another Irish name: Fiona.
Named after that beautiful brunette on Burn Notice. We call her "Fi" for short. And she seems to like it, and us.

Stars Fell on Alabama borders quilted!

Since a couple people have asked, and I'm more than thrilled to have a reason to use my new Sony Cyber-shot, I decided to show you how I marked it. First, let me say that my hat is tipped to those of you who can mark a quilt with chalk. My art teacher told me to stay away from art implements as a child as I just can't draw. What you see here is your garden-variety quilt stencil, although I guess any stencil would work. I made sure there was enough clearance for my binding strip which will be put on next.
What I have in my hand is a Quilt Pounce. It looks like a big eraser, and has dust in it. The dust is a kind of corn-starch material. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if it turned out to be just that.
I run it over the smooth side of the stencil so the rougher side can "grip" the fabric. The best part of using a Quilt Pounce is that if you mess up, it's easily corrected. Maybe you move the stencil slightly causing a double-vision: just take out your iron, and it irons completely off! You just gotta love that....











And there you go. And that's not you..I have a little double-vision aspect going on here. So, do not adjust your eyes. This pattern is a little forgiving, so I think I can follow it.

Thanks for asking. Now we'll get into the squaring and binding next.

Pink Panther 2 addicts another generation

Okay, let me be as clear as I can about this: I utterly HATE slapstick. My sweet Hunnybunny adores it, as most men do. The ads for Pink Panther 2 were popping up on Nickledeon and therefore, seen by the under 6 crowd at my house. When your five year old can do the whole "hamburger" shtick from a movie that isn't even out yet, you know you've lost. You're going to yet another movie that you didn't pick out. But you think you can stall. "We don't have to go on opening night. Surely to goodness we can wait until the reviews are out." But then you don't' know my husband. He had it all planned out and used two little co-conspirators. Hunnybunny briefly mentions that we MIGHT be going this evening, that is, provided MOM is on board with it. Oh, yeah, let's just make MOM the bad guy. You have to give the guy kudos, he knew how to work the room.
Of course I said yes. Two sets of big blue eyes looking at me, hopeful, I didn't stand a chance.
And it is funny, in that warped, man-joke kind of way. I'm sure this movie will be on the top of the weekend ratings as next week the men will (or should!) fork over the choice of the movie to their sweethearts for Valentine's Day. Diva and Pickle were mesmerized by the antics of Steve Martin. It's nice to know that in this age of worrying about what are kids watch, Steve is always around to do what he does best. Make us laugh without being crass or inappropriate. Well, at least the last couple of years it's been that way. (Cheaper By the Dozen,The Pink Panther)
I was thrown a bone....there was some eye candy for me, Andy Garcia. He just ages with fine wine. I wouldn't give it a major thumbs up from me, as I'm not a slapstick kinda gal, but according to my family, it's THUMBS UP!

Working on the Stars on Alabama Quilt...Still

With all the snow and ice, I've actually had time to work on Grandma Hunnybunny's quilt. All that's left is quilting the borders and binding it. The tension just wasn't right every time I tried to do a sample. I played around with it yesterday and managed to get it perfect, (after a few mishaps and some ripping was involved) so I may be ready to bind it this weekend. Then there's the label to think about. Last time, I wimped out, and had my friend, Debra,do a beautiful label for the Boyscout quilt. I may try to do one, or just get her to help me out again. She did such a beautiful job! By the way, she's working on a special project, the Homeless Teen Project for Willis Independent School District in TX. She's taken it upon herself to provide a twin sized quilt for each teen. If you would like to contribute to the Project, she will gladly pay postage for the supplies or swap embroidery. Just put a note in your box. Email her at debraspincic@yahoo.com. As quilters, we should get behind this very gracious lady and send her some donations of
* Miscellaneous Blocks or Quilt UFOs
* Thread
* Backings like Sheets, Shower curtains, Curtains, Tshirt Knits, Wool blends
* Batting (or Pieces), Bedspread, Wool Pieces, Fleece
* Any Sturdy Fabrics
Debra has a heart as big as the state she's from, and she organized projects where we got Quilts of Valor into soldiers' hands, and quilts for a children's home.
This picture is for laughs. My crazy boys, Hollywood, Dyl Pickle, and the Legal Adult. The Legal Adult and roommate were guests at our house while awaiting their power to be restored. It's always good to see him, and since he's grown up, even more so.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

I remember that song growing up in Florida, and had absolutely NO REFERENCE. What's so wondrous about walking outside in shorts in January? But since I've moved North of the Mason-Dixon line, I have definitely been educated.


I won't bore you with too many pictures, but if you're my family, check out my flickr.com box to the right. We took allot of pics and for all the dangerousness of it all, it's still very beautiful. Grandma Kim, you should've stayed. You'd of gotten your snowstorm.








I am amazed that this old hickory tree hasn't come down with all the ice and snow on it. And when I heard the word "historic" referring to this storm, I cringed. Seems like since 2004 I have been through a few "historic" storms in this region. When we were moving, like in the moving van, we were speeding our way to a line of twisters without knowing. That same winter, the biggest icestorm on record. Grandma Hunnybunny will never let me live that one down. She comes to see us, and we are trapped in the house.

Well, Kentucky's still nice, just nice and cold. And having four seasons is pretty cool, too. You just have to take the good with the bad. The springs here in Kentucky are glorious, and summers aren't the scorchers I've lived through in Tennessee and North Florida. When the weatherman says it's "gonna be a scorcher" at 87 degrees, I just smile. Everybody has their point of reference, I guess.

Editor's Note: My college buddy, Sandy, mentioned that I was geographically challenged. And she's right. For some reason, I always thought the Mason-Dixon line was a little south of here. I guess my confusion came in when I started going to restaurants in this area that didn't serve cooked grits or sweet tea on the menu. I just assumed I had crossed the line.;)

Time flies when you're .....having fun?

Our dear friend Bill Engvall would say, "Here's your sign!" if he looked at this. I've been with the Hunnybunny family this past week as Grandmas (Great and Daughter of Great) came to see us. It would have been a good time if not for a family crises, (not our immediate family) and extreme cold temps. Poor Great Grandma Hunnybunny nearly froze her hiney off as she is from Miami. Wouldn't you know it, Kentucky had the coldest temps in 5 years the ENTIRE time they were here!
Oh, and I ended up going to the doctor before they got here. Turns out that the barking cough that I conjured up WASN'T normal. They put me on an inhaler and Advair so I could get the inflammation down. And the doctor suggested that asthma might be the culprit. She correlated the dates on my chart and noticed a pattern. Every November, seems like I come down with some type of barking cough.
"But aren't I a little old for that, Doc? I thought little kids got diagnosed with it." Turns out there is a thing called a "seasonal asthma". Who'd a thunk it? To the left is my RX for myself.

That being said, I'll be by to see you this week. Hope you'll forgive me for not being around as much. But you were always on my mind.:)

Middle School Son's First Date

When I was growing up in the 70's, the phrase for a couple who wanted to be exclusive was "going together".

Typical language between teen girls of the time: "Are you going with Jake?"
"I can't believe she's going with him!"
Now, the terminology is "going out", as in "Do you want to start going out?".
Back in the 70's, the same phrase referred to dating. Things have certainly changed, I remember while working away from home one summer, a guy MAILED me his class ring and the note attached said: "Will you go with me?" . He was great about letters, too. And a year ahead of me in school. So, he wrote me most of my senior year from college. Anyway, enough about my ex-boyfriend.

Number 2 son now has a "girlfriend". She's as cute as she can be, and also goes to his youth group at church, so that's a plus. He comes to me asking if he can start going out with her. And that's how I got my aforementioned education. Now that I understand what he's talking about, (essentially, he wants to have a girlfriend) sure, go ahead. I know that he can't actually take her out in my understanding of the phrase because the rules are that he can't go out unescorted until he's got a license. So, he gets brave and asks if he can take her to a horror movie she wants to see. Knowing Hunnybunny would be as much fun as taking my mother-in-law on my honeymoon, I volunteered to be the chaperon. But, I didn't want to sit in the dark watching some scary movie. So I suggested roller skating. When his dad and I went out the first time back in 1982, that's what we did. There was a caveat to going: he had to call her dad and ask permission.
That's the southern thing to do and it would let us both know how serious he was about this girl.
I prepped him as best I could.

"It's always Sir, not yes, not no, 'yes, sir" and 'no, sir.' Got it? Even if he says you're pond scum, you say, 'yes, sir'. " And he did. The dad was so impressed according to the girlfriend. And I knew he would be.
"But I was so scared," he later told Hunnybunny.
"Good. Never get to comfortable with the dad." He advised.

We pick her up and meet her dad. After exchanging cell numbers, and curfew time, we head for the rink. Even going to the rink is a lot different. It was nice that I didn't have to pay as I was the chaperon. But I had to go through a metal detector, and they searched my purse and bag. All they found was a bunch of quilting books I had brought to read.
As he skated off with her, hand in hand, I kept thinking of that little baby who gave me kisses at 5 months old. The little boy who thought that Hamburger Helper was the greatest meal ever. I didn't cry, but I certainly felt like it. Maybe it was the bond, but he kept coming over to the table and checking on me. I'm sure she was confused, but I wasn't. He was trying to make it easy on me. ( Wonder what I'm going to be like when he goes to the prom?) I think I might have done something right where he's concerned. Of course, with such great material, who wouldn't have?